Emergency patients

King’s Emergency Department (ED) is open to anyone who needs urgent care because of an illness or accident. It is also often known as Accident & Emergency, A&E or Casualty.

Our ED sees more than 120,000 emergency patients every year – about 350 patients a day. About 25% of our patients are under 16, while 10% are over 65.

When to come to the ED

Emergency Department entrance
  • Many people come into the ED by ambulance as an emergency.
  • Your GP may ask you to come to the ED because you need urgent care that they cannot supply. They may give you a letter, which you should hand to the triage nurse who assesses you.
  • You can also ‘self-refer’ because you have a medical problem that you think needs urgent treatment.
  • If you have been suffering from a medical problem for more than 48 hours or have a long-standing illness or health problem, you can call NHS Direct for advice on 0845 4647. This service offers health information and advice from a specially trained nurse by phone 24 hours a day.
  • If your illness or injury is not serious but you want to see a doctor or nurse, you can visit the local GP Walk in Centre at Lister Health Centre, 101 Peckham Road, SE15 5LJ. It is open 8am - 8pm, 365 days a year. Simply turn up or make an appointment by phoning 020 3049 8430

Where is ED?

We are at King’s main site in Denmark Hill. The public entrance is near the pelican crossing and traffic lights on Denmark Hill and close to several bus stops and a five-minute walk from Denmark Hill rail station. There are two disabled car spaces and one drop-off bay (limited to a 20-minute stay) outside the ED. There is also hospital parking close by for which there is a charge.

See how to get to King's for information on transport to the hospital and finding your way around King's for a detailed map of the Trust campus, its buildings and facilities.

When you arrive

Please go to the reception desk and book in. The receptionist will take a few details about you such as your contact and GP’s details. A triage nurse will then assess you and you will be taken to another area of ED for further assessment or treatment: Resuscitation, Major, Minors, Children’s Area or Clinical Decision Unit (CDU). If your GP sent you to the ED with a letter, please give this to the nurse. Occasionally, a meet-and-greet nurse meets patients in reception who may send them to a more appropriate service.

Please note: we see patients according to the urgency of their medical need and not in order of their time of arrival.

I need an interpreter – how do I arrange one?

We can arrange urgent translations in any language by phone. But if possible, please bring an English-speaking relative or friend to help interpret.

Where will I be treated?

Our department is split into five areas:

Resuscitation

We see and manage our most sick and injured patients here. We are a major trauma centre, so we see major trauma patients from the whole of the South East of England. We are also a major stroke unit providing assessment and treatment 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Majors

This area looks after patients who are stable but have a major illness or injury. After a patient is booked in they are placed in one of the Majors cubicles and assessed by a nurse and then a doctor. There is also a quiet room, which can be used for patients who are very disturbed, either because of drugs or mental illness. Once you have been assessed and your treatment started, you will be discharged home, monitored on our observation ward (CDU) or referred to another department for further treatment.

Minors

This area is for patients who are either walking or mobile or have been brought in by ambulance with a condition that is not life threatening. Some cubicles here have couches, but most patients are seen at a desk. They include patients with cut fingers, sprained ankles and similar conditions.

Children’s area (Paediatrics)

The children's area is separate from the rest of the ED and is open 24 hours a day. It is staffed by a team of dedicated children's nurses. The medical team also includes general emergency staff, specialist children’s doctors and local GPs. It has its own Minors and Majors space with a waiting and play area as well as an adolescent room for 12-18 year olds.

Clinical Decisions Unit (CDU)

The CDU is for adult patients who need a short period of treatment or observation. This includes people with minor head injuries, elderly patients with minor fractures who need a full assessment before they are discharged, or patients who are unsafe to be discharged because of drugs or alcohol. The CDU team assesses patients to see whether they are safe to go home and organises care in the community, if needed.

When you leave the ED

We have advice leaflets for many conditions which explain more about the condition itself and how we treat it. The doctor or nurse you see will give you any relevant leaflets.

If you need proof that you have attended the ED, please ask the nurse or doctor looking after you. We usually provide you with a photocopy of the front sheet of your patient notes. We cannot give you a sick note: you need to visit your GP to get one.

What happens if I need more treatment?

We will send a letter to your GP explaining the treatment we have given you. This may take a few days, so if you will be seeing your GP before this, please ask for a copy of your notes and give them to your GP at your next appointment.

If we think you may benefit from seeing a specialist as an outpatient, we will ask your GP to organise an appointment as part of your continuing care.