In the UK, A&E departments can be visited 365 days of the year, 24 hours a day. Here are the steps that are usually taken when arriving at Accident and Emergency:
Register – Unless you arrive by ambulance at a department, you will be asked to sign in and register at the reception desk. You will be asked a few questions such as why you are visiting the department today as well as your name and address. If you have attended the A&E department before, the registrar may also check your health records at the same time.
However, in the event that you do arrive by ambulance, the ambulance crew will report to the hospital on your behalf whilst en-route to the department.
Triage – After registering at the reception you will usually be pre-assessed by a doctor or nurse before things are taken to the next stage. You will be assessed to determine if your condition requires you being seen as soon as possible. It is important to remember that patients are seen in order of priority, not the time of arrival at the department. Waiting times are up to four hours (from arrival to admission), however if A&E is extremely busy, this may be longer.
In addition, arriving by ambulance to A&E does not necessarily mean you will be seen sooner than if you had arrived yourself, as the same rules apply. So, if you are not in a life-threatening or serious condition, you will be prioritised according to other patients also needing to be seen.
