Children’s Accident and Emergency

Children attend Accident and Emergency for various reasons. Some attend due to being sent by GP, brought via ambulance, schools or by parents that are concerned for their children’s health.

Children are seen with limb problems and illnesses such as temperature, wheeze, infection, diarrhoea and vomiting, to name a few. We also see children in life threatening instances or extreme trauma. In this instance these children will be seen as a priority.

Children will be seen first by a triage nurse – they will take a brief history of why you are here today. This will then give a priority score – children who are more unwell will be seen first. Children are not seen in time order.

Paediatric emergency

There will be various clinicians to see whilst in Accident and Emergency. These include:

  • Advance Nurse Practitioners
  • Trainee Nurse Practitioners
  • Emergency Nurse Practitioners
  • GPs
  • Doctors
  • Speciality Doctors

Some nurses can carry out Nurse Led discharges and Enhanced Clinical Skills. This may mean your child could be sent to a different clinical area.

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The wait times to see a clinician can be quite lengthy, although we aim to see children quite quickly, the wait can be up to 4 hours or can possibly extend past this and be longer. This can be due to:

  • life threatening emergencies
  • how unwell the children are
  • the number of patients in the department
  • how many doctors are in the department

We recommend that one adult attends with the child who is unwell and all siblings are to be left at home where possible. This is to prevent overcrowding and keep children who are well safe.

In each waiting room there will be a drinks station which provides juice and water. Sandwiches, cereal and biscuits can be provided. However hot meals are not provided in the Emergency Department unless provided by the family.

Once your child has been seen, a plan of care will be made. This can include admission to the Children’s ward on ward 30, transfer to ward 32 – Clinical decisions area, referral to a speciality or discharge home with advice. Further care plans will be made if you are not discharged home. You will be kept informed of all decisions made.