Key Post Private A&E treatment in Dublin

Brendan Burgess

Brendan Burgess

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I fell off my bike yesterday and find walking difficult. I don't want to wait for hours in Vincent's A&E, so what are my options? I suspect that if I go to my GP, he will probably send me for an X-Ray anyway. If I got to a public A&E without a GP referral, I will be charged €100 anyway, so I might as well go private?

I am surprised at the number of private A&E's available. The prices all seem similar, so I presume opening hours and convenience determine which one to go to.

Do they have different specialities?
Is one quicker than the others?
Is there a good time to go?


Blackrock Clinic 1800 283 999

Weekdays: 9 pm - 6 pm ; Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays: 10 - 5
€120 consultation fee
€500 maximum fee

caters for patients suffering from chest pain, gastrointestinal or respiratory conditions, fractures, falls or other orthopaedic complaints and other urgent conditions which may require stitches and casts. It is open to all patients above the age of 14.
Click to expand...
Doesn't cover: Under 15s

Best time: "Come out as early as possible as it gets busier as the day goes on"

You get seen by "a consultant".

[broken link removed] Dundrum and Swords
8.am to 10 pm - 365 days a year
€120 consultation fee

*Does emergency dental work !

Doesn't cover Chest Pain

Beacon Clinic 01 2939 999
Is this the same as the Beacon Hospital?

8am to 8 pm - Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays)
€120 initial fee
Which patients we cannot treat:


  • Children under 16 years
  • Patients with acute psychiatric conditions
  • Obstetric patients
Mater Private
Urgent cardiac care - 24/7

Experiencing cardiac symptoms - Call 1800 247 999


Hermitage Clinic Emergency Department (01) 6459016.

Monday - Friday 8 - 5
Sat, Sun and bank holidayes : 10 - 5

€120
 
I have only used the VHI Healthcare Clinic. Got seen straight away so no complaints there. Just be aware the €120 'consultation' is the minimum amount. X-rays will cost another €100. I think I paid about €70 for stitches and from what I remember, plastering was the same price. I seem to remember someone mentioning to me before that they charge the full €120 again to get stitches out but that if you ask a nurse rather than the doctor to do it, it is cheaper.

Not sure I would use it again to be honest. If it hadn't been the weekend I would have gone to my GP but I knew I didn't need x-rays etc.
 
I took my son to VHI Balally three years ago. There was an X-ray and crutches were supplied. Can't remember what I paid but I do remember there was a reduction of €75 because we have private health insurance.
 
I haven't used any of these services, so I can't give any specifics. I have heard of a couple of cases of people who go to these services, and then get referred on to the local public A&E dept, where they start again at the back of the queue, depending on their condition and requirements.

I wouldn't rule out the possibility of St Vincents either. I went there a couple of years back after a fall from my bike. From memory, I got there about 11am and was out by about 1pm, after being triaged, x-rayed and reviewed by the doc to ensure nothing was broken.

Hope you're feeling better soon.
 
I went to VHI swiftcare when I had a fall on the bike. Seen straight away. Got the usual check up and then into xrays straight away. Paid 120 fee plus another 80 for xrays. Didn't need stitches but had plastic plastering done which was inclusive of all fees. All told I was out in 30 minutes. Well worth the money if you have it.
On a seperate note I went to my GP when I had a problem with my hand and he gave me a form for xray at Vincents public. He simply told me to turn up before 9 and go straight to xray dept and tell them he said it was urgent if they try and fob you off. They didn't fob me off and I gopt the xrays done in 10 minutes. The results were sent to my doctor. I'm pretty sure if they were broken they would have sent me straight to A&E. At least the xrays were done so I presume it would not have been long to get strapped up.
 
OK, so I went down to the Blackrock Clinic at around 10.20

The longest delay was in reception. It took about 30 minutes to start the form filling process. There was only one woman on reception and she was answering the phone, processing those arriving and billing those leaving. She was very efficient and you knew that you were not being ignored.

Once I was processed at reception,I was brougth in by a nurse immediately who checked blood pressure and took some medical details.

A few minutes later I was seen by a consultant. He decided I needed x rays on my ankle and my wrist. He also thought it advisable that I get a wheelchair down to the Xray place. There was a delay in waiting for the wheelchair.

I got the Xrays quickly enough, but then another shorter delay in waiting for the wheelchair guy to bring me back.

I then waited maybe about 20-30 minutes in the cubicle for the consultant to come back and tell me everything was ok. He is a bit concerned about a particular bone which the XRays can't see, so I have to go back for an MRI.

Then a technician came along and put on a wrist cuff and a sort of bandage/sock on my foot and ankle.

Total time around 3 hours. It would have been shorter had I walked to and from the Xray place on my own. Rainyday had roughly the same in St Vincent's Public in about 2 hours. Maybe I should have checked ST Vincent's on the way by.

I was treated very well. I got the impression that they knew what they were doing.


Cost: €312 (€120 + €180 for two xrays + €12 for a cuff)
 
Could the need to go back for an MRI be the Commercial side of the Enterprise coming out? Did you get the feeling that there is a real need for this? (just wondering)
 
So basically you paid 312 for something that would have cost you 100 and you probably saved quite a bit of time given the amount of things you got done. All in all if you can afford it and its something they can do like stiches, broken bone, xray etc its well worth it. Something more serious like Chest Pain or a kid with suspected meninditus would be straight to A&E.
 
QED said:
Could the need to go back for an MRI be the Commercial side of the Enterprise coming out? Did you get the feeling that there is a real need for this? (just wondering)
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Very hard to know.

I could have gone to my GP and he might have said "I don't think anything is broken" - or he might have said "You need x rays"

The consultant did probe my wrist quite a bit to try to establish what might be the cause of the pain. He said that a broken "X" bone is a possibility but not a probability.

I suppose I could wait and see. But then again, if it is broken it would get worse.

Part of the problem with medicine now, is that they probably overtest as if they think a test is not necessary, and there is a problem later, the doctor is vulnerable.
 
BTW, if you go to your GP and the GP refers you to A&E, you do not have to pay the €100 charge, just the GP fee with is probably 50-60.

I took my daughter to VHI Balally a few years ago for stitches. Very efficient service and our VHI health insurance paid for it. It was on St PAtricks Day, so I was worried about alcohol related instances increases the waiting times in Public A&E.
 
Brendan Burgess said:
Cost: €312 (€120 + €180 for two xrays + €12 for a cuff)
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Good to hear there is nothing seriously wrong.

I suppose we probably should have predicted that you would need xrays and these would cost more beforehand - might have helped in making the decision.

I've seen various reports on over-testing and over-prescribing, but I've no idea if it is better or worse in public or private.
 
I fell off the bike recently and cut my finger badly. I knew it would need stitches, but I was also aware that a GP referral to A&E was more cost effective so I went to a nearby clinic (Dublin city centre) where the doctor thought it would also need an X-Ray. She referred me to a clinic in Smithfield I had never heard of before, which apparently is a satellite operation of the Mater A&E. It was devoid of patients, so I was seen in minutes, got an X-Ray, stiches, tetanus jab etc. I was in and out in about 40 minutes and it didn't cost me a cent extra on top of the €50 I'd paid to the GP earlier. Obviously the total time included going to the two separate locations, but it was still less than 2 hours in total, including travel between the two.

I was very impressed with the HSE that day. I'd always recommend going to a GP - any GP - first for a referral.
 
These options need to be updated.

I injured my foot on Xmas Eve and it seemed worse this morning.

I checked the Blackrock Clinic Emergency Dept but it was by appointment only and I couldn't find the phone number on the website.

I rang the Laya Clinic in Cherrywood and they told me that no appointment was necessary and it was quiet at the moment. So I went straight up.

Walk-in Urgent Care | Laya Health & Wellbeing Clinics

Walk-in Urgent Care | Laya Health & Wellbeing Clinics
www.layahealthcare.ie

There were two people on Reception so there was no queue. While I was filling in the form, I was called in and a nurse took basic details. A doctor saw me 10 minutes later and told me that it looked like which should settle down after a few days. He gave me a prescription and recommended that I see a physio.

When I came out, there seemed to be about 6 medical staff on duty and no patients.

I asked at reception how busy it normally was and they said most people wait about 15 minutes.

It would normally have been €130 but was free as I am insured with Laya.

(From the 1 January, it will no longer be free, but Laya will contribute an amount depending on the type of policy you have.)

Brendan
 
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