A&E (accident and emergency) is for serious injuries and life-threatening emergencies. It is open 24 hours a day, every day. Everyone is assessed first and the most seriously unwell people are seen first, so you may wait a long time. If you are not sure whether you need A&E, use NHS 111.
This guide is about NHS services in England. Services and rules are different in Scotland and Wales.
Call 999 if someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.
Do not drive yourself to A&E. Ask someone to drive you, or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.
- RegisterAt reception, or the crew hands you over
- AssessmentA doctor or nurse checks you (triage)
- WaitMost seriously unwell people go first
- SeenBy an A&E doctor, or sent elsewhere
- NextWard, UTC, your GP, or home
When to go to A&E
A&E is also called the emergency department or casualty. Go there for serious injuries and emergencies that could put someone’s life at risk, such as heavy bleeding, choking or a seizure.
If you need medical help but it is not life-threatening, use NHS 111 online or call 111. It can tell you where to go. For many minor injuries and illnesses, an urgent treatment centre, pharmacy or GP surgery is a better choice. See where to go for medical help.
Getting there safely
Do not drive yourself. Ask someone to take you, or call 999 for an ambulance.
Calling 999 does not always mean an ambulance will come. The call handler may tell you it is safe to make your own way to A&E, or to get help somewhere else. Arriving by ambulance does not always mean you will be seen sooner than if you walk in.
If you are waiting for an ambulance, stay with the person, turn on lights so the crew can find you, and call 999 again if their condition or your location changes.
What to bring
- Your medicinesAny medicines you take
- GP detailsDetails of your GP surgery, if you have one
- AllergiesInformation about any allergies
When you arrive
If you walk in, you need to register at reception. Staff will ask for your name and address and why you have come. If you arrive by ambulance, the crew will give your details to reception and hand you over to the clinical team.
- If you need help in another language, including British Sign Language (BSL), ask for an interpreter.
- If you have a physical or mental disability and need help, tell staff straight away.
- Some A&E departments ask you to use a self-assessment screen when you arrive. You will not need it if you used NHS 111 and the hospital knows you are coming.
Assessment and waiting times
After you register, you wait to be called for an assessment, known as triage. A doctor or nurse checks everyone before any treatment starts. This helps the team decide the order people are seen in, so the most seriously unwell people are seen first.
A&E departments are very busy. Expect to wait for some time, especially if your problem is less serious.
To see how many people were seen within 4 hours at each hospital in a recent month, see A&E waiting times. These figures cannot tell you how long you will wait today.
After you are seen
What happens next depends on your assessment. You may:
- Stay inBe seen by an A&E doctor and, if needed, admitted to a ward or sent to a specialist unit
- Sent nearbyBe sent to a nearby urgent treatment centre, or to a GP working on site, if you do not need A&E
- See your GPBe asked to book an appointment with your own GP surgery, for example to ask for a referral
- Go homeBe given a prescription and sent home with instructions on what to do next
If you are registered with a GP, the surgery will be told why you went to A&E and what treatment you had.
Do you have to pay?
A&E services are free for everyone in England, including visitors from abroad. This does not include treatment after you have been admitted to hospital, which visitors may have to pay for. Read more about NHS care for visitors and people new to England.
If you are given a prescription, you may have to pay the NHS prescription charge.
Find a hospital with an A&E
Not every hospital has an A&E department. Each hospital page on this site says whether it has one.
You can also browse all hospitals.
This guide explains what to expect. It does not give medical advice. Read more about when to go to A&E on the NHS website.
Sources
We checked this guide against these official pages on 22 October 2026.
- When to go to A&E (NHS website)
- When to call 999 (NHS website)
- Find urgent and emergency care services (NHS website)
- About NHS hospital services (NHS website)
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