Patients with minor injuries are encouraged to attend Roscommon unit

Patients with broken bones, cuts or burns will see far faster treatment at local minor injury units then if they attend busy Emergency Departments.

That's according to the Manager of Roscommon Hospital, Mary Garvey, who has urged those with minor to moderate injuries to use the units available locally in the face of the ongoing overcrowding crisis.

The facilities have been opened in Roscommon and Mullingar, with staff reporting increasing use over the last number of months.

With patients facing hours waiting on trolleys or on chairs in local hospitals, the HSE is urging people to attend, GPs, injury units or pharmacies in the first instance.

Unit management have confirmed that extra resources are in place to tackle surges in admissions.