Same Day Emergency Care
We promote positive patient experiences by delivering assessment, diagnosis and treatment on the same day.
Conditions we treat
- Chest Pain *1 *2
- Suspected Deep Vein Thrombosis (also known as DVT)
- Chest Infections (unless oxygen is required)
- Suspected Cellulitis (limb swelling or limb infection)
- Anaemia (low red blood count)
- Acute Headache (not related to head trauma)
- Skin rashes
- Palpitations (fast heart rate)
- Acute Back Pain / Suspected Cauda Equina (also known as spinal cord compression)
- Collapse & Loss of Consciousness *3
- Hypertension (also known as high blood pressure) *4
- Suspected Upper Gastrointestinal / Stomach Bleed (stable patients who are NOT actively bleeding)
- Blood Transfusions *5
- Deranged Blood Results (blood tests where values are out of normal range)
- Jaundice (yellow colour to the eyes and/or skin)
*1 Suspected Pulmonary Embolism, also known as PE
*2 To rule out Acute Coronary Syndrome also known as ACS
*3 without head injury and not related to a CVA, also known as a stoke AND not related to Epilepsy
*4 Majority of patients with high blood pressure can/should be managed by your GP.
*5 Only acute referral / patients with low blood count who are symptomatic. Most transfusions are routinely undertaken at the Infusions unit, DDH.
About our service
The underlying principle of Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) is that a significant proportion of adult patients requiring emergency care can be managed safely and appropriately on the same day and without admission to a hospital bed. This is achieved by streamlining access to diagnostic services to be able to provide faster decision making and prompt treatment.
The positive approach to same day treatment can unfortunately mean it is a long day. For this reason we recommend you bring a book/electronic tablet (free Wi-Fi is available - please note devices cannot be charged on the unit).
Just like your GP surgery or the Emergency Department, we don’t have beds. However, we have invested in high back chairs and provide Freeview television to make your stay as comfortable as possible.
Although we provide fresh water to drink, unfortunately we do not formally have food or drink facilities (much like your GP surgery).
As our waiting room is small, we promote the use of pagers where you are free to leave the unit and use hospital facilities (depending on clinical condition) to purchase hot food and drinks, or simply enjoy the great British weather.
When we need you back/are ready to be seen, we simply page you (via a small device that flashes and bleeps - much like you might see at a restaurant) to come back to the unit.
We do not have an appointment system, so if you’re referred to SDEC we advise to come to the unit as soon as possible. Also to note, as we are a very busy department and given the nature of people having different investigations at different times or have merely been off the unit for refreshments, it can sometimes appear that people who have just arrived are being seen quicker than others. Please be assured this is not the case and people are seen in order of arrival time to SDEC unless clinical priority overrules arrival time (this may not include time spent in other departments prior to arriving at SDEC).