Emergency Department

Our hospitals provide emergency medical services for our local communities across Nottingham and further afield.

You should only come to our Emergency Department (ED) at the Queen's Medical Centre, for life-threatening conditions that need immediate medical attention including: Persistent severe chest pain, loss of consciousness, acute confused state, severe blood loss, serious burns, suspected stroke.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published the latest results of the 2022 Urgent and Emergency Care Survey. More details about this can be found here.

You should only call 999 or visit the ED in a real emergency.

This includes a serious injury or life-threatening problem such as loss of consciousness, severe breathing difficulty, heavy bleeding, severe chest pain, suspected broken bones, deep wounds (e.g. stab wounds), swallowing something harmful or poisonous or a drug overdose. 

The NHS is here for you 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Please help us by always trying to choose the most appropriate service for your needs.

There are a range of services available to help. Visit 111.nhs.uk or phone 111, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for advice, appointments or to get directed to the most appropriate service.

Local pharmacies can help with less urgent conditions and may be able to offer treatment and some prescription medicine without you needing to see a GP (this is called Pharmacy First).

Conditions they can treat through Pharmacy First are:

• earache (aged 1 to 17 years)
• impetigo (aged 1 year and over)
• infected insect bites (aged 1 year and over)
• shingles (aged 18 years and over)
• sinusitis (aged 12 years and over)
• sore throat (aged 5 years and over)
• urinary tract infections or UTIs (women aged 16 to 64 years)

Some pharmacies open late (until midnight) and at weekends. Find out more about pharmacies near you on our website: notts.icb.nhs.uk/your-services/community-pharmacy/

We also have self-care information to help you manage common conditions such as minor burns and scalds, conjunctivitis, constipation and cystitis on our website: notts.icb.nhs.uk/your-health/stay-well/self-care/

And we have a range of specific advice for worried parents, covering common illnesses and when to seek treatment for you baby or child. This covers conditions such as chickenpox, asthma, earache, scarlet fever and many more. Visit: https://notts.icb.nhs.uk/your-services/childrens-health-and-wellbeing/  

You can give yourself the best protection by getting vaccinated against COVID-19 and flu and by vaccinating your children to protect them from RSV and measles, mumps and rubella. Find out more: notts.icb.nhs.uk/your-health/vaccinations/

If you are in crisis, you can call 111 (option 2) to be directed to the right support. You can also find information on mental health services and support.

Nottinghamshire Crisis Sanctuaries can help you with support, information and guidance if you are over 18 years old and experiencing mental health issues or in a mental health crisis.

You can just drop in to one of the sanctuaries or visit https://www.nottinghamshirecrisissanctuaries.tv/ for more information.

• Beeston: 318 High Road, NG9 1EJ: 6pm to 11pm Monday to Sunday
• Mansfield: top of St John Street, NG18 1QJ: 4pm to 9pm Monday to Sunday
• Worksop: Hardy Street, S80 1EH: 5pm to 10pm Wednesday and Sunday
• Nottingham City: the Wellbeing Hub, 73 Hounds Gate, NG1 6BB: 6pm to 11pm Monday to Sunday

Contact your General Practice team about symptoms that aren’t going away. They can offer telephone, online, or face-to-face appointments with a GP, nurse or other healthcare professional depending on what your health concern is. Remember, your GP is open until 6.30pm and if you need help out of hours, please visit 111 online or phone 111.

You can visit your local Urgent Treatment Centre for sprains, fractures, minor burns and skin infections:

• Nottingham – The NHS Urgent Treatment Centre (next to the BBC building) is open every day from 7am-7pm. Seaton House, London Road, Nottingham, NG2 4LA Tel: 0115 883 8500
• Newark – Newark Hospital is open every day 8am-10.30pm (last patient seen at 9.30pm). Boundary Road, NG24 4DE

For urgent dental care you can call your local NHS dentist. For urgent care out of hours care, contact NHS 111.

You can find details about all your NHS services and how to access urgent and non-urgent care at: www.notts.icb.nhs.uk/your-health/urgent-and-non-urgent-care/

www.nhs.uk also has lots of helpful advice and information on common conditions and can help you look after yourself or find the right care.