Our Emergency Departments are also often referred to as Accident & Emergency (A&E).
They are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for anyone seeking treatment for an urgent problem caused by an accident or illness. You should be aware that our Emergency Departments can be very busy. In an average year we see around 90,000 patients in these units.
People who use emergency services for minor problems may prevent others with emergencies from getting immediate care. If you attend an Emergency Department and your condition is not an emergency, you may be advised to contact your own family doctor or GP.
If you are not sure what to do, phone NHS ‘111’. NHS 111 is a service that makes it easier to access local NHS healthcare services. You can call 111 when you need medical help fast but it’s not a 999 emergency. NHS 111 is a fast and easy way to get the right help, whatever the time. Please consider whether your family doctor can help you before making your journey to an emergency department.
