Paediatric Assessment Unit (PAU)
PAU will accept respiratory and other febrile illness, including suspected COVID.
If a GP feels a clinical assessment and/or laboratory and radiology investigations are required in addition to a COVID test, then a PAU referral is ideal.
In addition, through PAU we have access to a rapid-turnaround (under 2 hours) microbiological panel of 25 viruses/bacteria, including COVID (nasal/throat swab).
All charges (including the aforementioned panel) are incorporated into the PAU charge, capped at €525
Please click on links below:
/contentfiles/COVID_PAU_Casemix.pdf
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The Paediatric Assessment Unit (PAU) is a unique development in private healthcare in Ireland and is an exciting addition to acute paediatric services in the region The PAU is a purpose-built facility, contiguous with our existing MAU, and is staffed by senior medical and nursing staff with speciality expertise in the care of children.
The PAU provides patients with:
- Rapid access to expert Consultant assessment and prompty access to a range of diagnostic testing
- Admission to hospital arranged where necessary under the care of our on-site Consultants
- If required, patients will have referrals to other Bon Secours Hospital Cork services arranged
PAU Casemix
Respiratory Illness
Acute Asthma
Pneumonia
Bronchiolitis
Croup
URTI incl. pharyngo-tonsillitis, Mumps, EBV, etc
"Medical" Abdominal Pain
Constipation
Mesenteric adenitis
IBD
Gastritis
Urology
Scrotal Pain e.g. suspected torsion
Foreskin problems e.g. paraphimosis, infection
Skin & soft tissue infections e.g. cellulitis
Exanthems
Urticaria/angiedema
Anaphylaxis
Crying/Irritable Baby
Limping Child (non-traumatic)
Minor head injury/Concussion
Fever and febrile illness
PUO
Febrile seizures
Urinary tract infection
Accidental ingestions
Vomiting & diarrhoea e.g. gastroentertis
Foreign Bodies
Ear/Nose
Exclusion Criteria
- Patient with seasonal bronchiolitis (for those under 6 months of age) - please click link Admission Exclusion Criteria; contentFiles/TEMP_Bons_PaediatricAssessmentUnitCriteria_A4_7_-_Oct_2022(1).pdf
- Surgical Patients
- Trauma (long bone fractures, minor lacerations/wounds)
- Ambulance referrals
- Eye emergencies
- Certain ENT emergencies e.g. epistaxis, airway foreign bodies
- Child protection/mental health presentations
Flyer
Please click on the following link to view our PAU Flyer for further information : contentFiles/TEMP_Bons_PaediatricAssessUnit_14(1).pdf
Consultation Fee/Costs
The initial consultation fee is €250 - applies whether admitted or not
Diagnostic fees capped at €275 - only applies if not admitted
Total Fees payable by patients capped at €525.
Any fees covered by insurers will be invoiced directly to them and are additional to fees paid by patients.
Please check your insurance policy for your cover. If you have excess to your policy, this will have to be paid on admission to the unit. Should you be discharged this will go to your final bill. Payments can be made electronically - please click on the following link - payonline
If your child is admitted, you will have access to our full range of Paediatric services - cork-departments/childrens-ward
Parking
There are 2 x dedicated bays for drop off and pick up while attending the PAU.
Prof Ronan O'Sullivan
Consultant in Emergency Medicine
Biography
Prof O’Sullivan graduated from UCC in 1994 and completed specialist training on the Irish National Emergency Medicine training program in 2004. He thereafter completed fellowship training in Paediatric Emergency Medicine at the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH), Melbourne, Australia from 2004-6 and was appointed to a Consultant position at RCH in 2006. In 2007, he returned to Ireland to the position of Consultant in Emergency Medicine at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin. From 2008-13, he was Professor and Chair of Paediatrics at University College Dublin, and also National Director of Training in Emergency Medicine. He was made a Fellow of the Faculty of Paediatrics of RCPI in 2010. Prof O’Sullivan returned to Cork in 2013 to take up a position as Consultant in Emergency Medicine at Cork University and Mercy University Hospitals. He is a Principal Investigator with the National Children’s Research Centre and has developed the country’s first research unit in Emergency Medicine. He is also a member of the executive management team in the School of Medicine at UCC.
Prof O’Sullivan joined BSHC in 2014 to develop our acute services and pathways, commencing with the opening of our the Medical Assessment Unit for adult medical patients.
Contact Details
- Prof Ronan O'Sullivan
- Medical Assessment Unit, Bon Secours Hospital, Cork
Dr Micheál Sheehan
Consultant in Emergency Medicine
Biography
Dr Micheál Sheehan graduated from University College Cork in 2015. He joined the National Emergency Medicine Training Programme in 2016, working in Cork University Hospital, St James's Hospital, St Vincent’s University Hospital and Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin.
Areas of Interest
SPECIAL INTERESTS INCLUDE:
• Geriatric Emergency Medicine
• Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment
• Acute Paediatrics
• Acute Cardiology, including syncope and heart failure
Additional Information
Micheál is enthusiastic about the assessment and care of older adults. He has completed his MSc in Healthcare Management at Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland with a thesis on Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment of older adults. Micheál has also completed a Professional Diploma in Medicine for the Older Person at the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. His multiple publications and presentations are across Emergency Medicine, Geriatric Emergency Medicine and acute Paediatrics. He is a Senior Clinical Lecturer in Emergency Medicine at University College Cork.
Qualifications
MB BCh BAO MSc FRCEMAppointments
GP REFERRALS VIA:
Bed Management / Bookings Office
021 480 1604 / 05
Phone first & send referral via Healthlink “Acute Admission Call First”
Contact Details
- Dr Micheál Sheehan
- Medical Assessment Unit, Bon Secours Hospital, Cork
Access to the unit is by way of GP Referral only.
Please click here to view procedure for admissions/acute admissions
To arrange a referral to the PAU please tel: 021 4801604/05
