Emergency Departments are for Saving Lives
If your situation isn't life threatening, please call 111 for assistance or click here to go to 111 online
Do you have an emergency or an urgent need?
If your condition isn't life-threatening (in the case of heart attacks, strokes, major bleeding/trauma or other severe acute symptoms) the best place for your needs is unlikely to be our ED.
A range of minor illnesses can be treated closer to home through your GP, pharmacist or urgent care centre. To be directed to the best place for your needs, please call 111 first. Or go online to https://111.nhs.uk/ in most instances this will provide you with a faster response than a wait in our emergency department.
Please note, if you arrive at our ED, with a non-emergency condition we will ask you to call your GP/or 111 to be re-directed to another health location for your care.
Read more about the NHS 111 First process here.
Attend alone wherever possible and please bring a mask to wear
To enable social distancing, anyone attending our emergency department should do so on their own, if practically possible, without friends, relatives and children. You will be asked to keep a mask on at all times in the waiting and clinical areas.
It may not be possible for carers to stay with their patient at all times. If you are asked to leave by a clinician, we will take any details related to ongoing medical/care needs. Click here to read more on our page 'Visiting ED - Information for Carers'
In children's ED, only one parent/main carer may stay with the patient and no siblings or children under 16 years should attend with the patient.
Blue and red ED treatment areas
When you arrive at our Emergency Department (ED) you will first visit a portacabin located at both Adult’s and Children’s ED receptions. Here, you will be assessed and directed to either the Blue or Red department, depending on your symptoms.
o The Blue Department is for patients without symptoms of COVID-19
o The Red Department is for patients with symptoms of COVID-19
Although the two areas are not very far from each other, there may be a little more walking for some. If you need help getting between the two departments, please speak to one of our team and they will be happy to assist you.
If you are arriving by ambulance the ambulance crew will take you directly to the right treatment area.
We continue to keep all of our restrictions under regular review. Any update to our current visiting restrictions will be reflected on this page.
For full hospital visiting restrictions please visit the following link: Updates to Visiting Restrictions
Information for next of kin and carers
Having a loved one admitted to the Emergency Department can be a worrying and stressful time. Whilst we are asking patients to coming in alone, we know that this isn’t always possible for those who need help whilst they are in hospital.
If you are unsure whether you are able to accompany a loved one to the Emergency Department, then please see our guidance for carers at https://www.leicestershospitals.nhs.uk/patients/covid-19-information-hub/visiting-the-emergency-department/visiting-ed-information-for-carers/
Contacting the Emergency Department
Having a loved one admitted to the Emergency Department can be a worrying and stressful time. If you have a loved one who has been admitted alone, either by ambulance or as a walk-in, we know that as their next of kin, you want to be kept informed.
Where possible, please make contact with your loved one to discuss their current situation.
If this isn’t possible then please call 0300 303 1573 and ask to be put through to the Emergency Department.
The team are working hard to care for patients but it isn’t always possible for them to answer the phone straight away. If you aren’t able to get a response from the Emergency Department, then please try and call after a short while.
