Emergency Department

The Emergency Department is also known to many as the Accident and Emergency Department. Our Emergency Department sees more than 57,000 new patients a year. We provide a 24 hour service every day of the year.

Before you visit

Before you visit our Emergency Department you should consider:

• Self care - you may be able to treat minor illnesses or injuries such as sprains, strains, insect stings and cuts and grazes by yourself
• Calling 111 - a nurse will give you confidential advice and information for health queries 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• Your local pharmacist - can give you advice for treating common illnesses and the best medicines to use
• Visiting your GP - for medical advice, examinations or an illness or injury that requires prescriptions
• NHS walk-in-centre - for treating minor illnesses and injuries that do not require an Emergency Department visit and without needing an appointment

Visiting our Emergency Department

Here we explain what to expect if you are visiting our Emergency Department:

• What to expect upon arrival
• What happens following your initial assessment
• What to expect when you are leaving
• Our Emergency Team

What to expect upon your arrival

After registration, you will be assessed by a nurse who will determine the nature of your illness or injury and how urgent it is for you to be seen. The length of time you will have to wait will depend on the number of patients attending at the given time and the complexity of their problems. Priority is given to those people who need immediate attention and treatment, as a result you may see patients arriving after you but being seen or treated before you. The waiting room has an electronic screen displaying the number of patients in the department and the average waiting time. If you are unsure how long it is likely that you will have to wait you can ask one of the nursing staff in the department.

If you have been referred to a specialty from your GP you may be asked to attend the Emergency Department instead. This can occur depending on the nature of your condition or high volumes of patients and activity within the hospital. If this does happen you will have an initial assessment by the emergency department nursing team who will then contact the team that is expecting you so that they can come to see you at their earliest opportunity.

After the initial nursing assessment patients are allocated to specialist areas of the Emergency Department according to the nature of their injury or illness. These areas are:

• Resuscitation - Adults and children who are critically ill e.g. after major trauma, heart attack, severe breathing problems, stroke, and unconsciousness 
• Majors - e.g. abdominal pain, unwell, overdoses, asthma
• Minor injury - Fractures, lacerations and minor illnesses
• Paediatrics - Children will generally be assessed in the dedicated paediatric area

Alternatively, you may be asked to wait in the waiting room until a doctor or Emergency Nurse Practitioner is available to attend you.

Following initial assessment

Following your initial assessment you will be seen by one of the Emergency Department doctors or nurse practitioners, they will undertake a thorough assessment of your condition. You may also require investigations (e.g. x-ray, blood tests), if this is the case staff will discuss the reasons for this with you.

Whilst we do prioritise emergency department investigations, there will be a short period of waiting for results to be available. Staff will keep you informed of any unexpected delays, usually your results will be available within 90 minutes.

Following assessment and treatment our staff will provide you with further advice on your condition and how your treatment should continue. You may be referred to another specialty team if you require admission or an outpatient service or your primary care practitioner.

What to expect when you are leaving

If you require admission you will be leaving the emergency department for a hospital ward. Occasionally there is a delay with this as a consequence of the pressure in other areas of the hospital.

When you are discharged from hospital you may be issued with a 'green prescription'; this allows you to collect your medication from any chemist in a similar way as if it was issued by your family doctor. If you are discharged out of hours you may be issued with a 'blue prescription'; in this case you will be receiving medications directly from the emergency department. If you normally pay for your medications you will have to pay the statutory £7.85 per item.

Unfortunately the hospital will not be able to provide you with transport. You will be responsible to arrange your return to your residence via a friend, a family member or eventually public transport.

Our Emergency Team

Our Emergency team includes the following:

• Consultants

Mr Chris Lloyd
Dr Robert Florance
Dr Nam Tong
Dr Frank Sutherland



• Clinical Specialist

Mr Angelo Giubileo



• Matron

Lynda Stockwell
 

• Senior Nurses

Julia Denyer
Nicki Smart
 

• Practice Development Nurse

Linda Purdy