HSE West and North West is advising people to be aware of their options of care this August Bank Holiday weekend.

August is a busy holiday period and this combined with the bank holiday weekend can put extra pressure on the health system and people are advised to familiarise themselves on care options available to them.

Emergency departments will see higher than normal attendances due to the bank holiday weekend and the HSE would ask for the public’s patience during long wait times.

The HSE is advising that all avenues of care should be considered initially which may result in ED avoidance.

If you urgently need to see a GP over the bank holiday weekend, you should contact your local out of hours GP service. NoWDOC (Donegal and South Leitrim) will be operating at increased capacity from Friday evening until Tuesday morning.

You can find your local GP out-of-hours service at https://www2.hse.ie/services/find-a-gp-out-of-hours/. Clinics are by appointment only so please call NoWDOC 0818 400 911 in advance to make an appointment.

You can also receive advice and over the counter treatments from your local pharmacy.

Plans are in place across hospital and community services to ensure patients can access the care they need in the right setting.