One of our A&E consultants, Dr Shafi Khan, has recorded films in English, Urdu and British Sign Language (BSL) urging anyone with serious, non-covid-19 symptoms to visit A&E. Staff from the unit are on hand 24/7, as normal, to investigate urgent healthcare concerns. Please see the films below for more information.
Pahari / Punjabi
Download audio: A&E still open, Pahari (M4A, 2.5 MB)
Urdu
Download audio: A&E still open, Urdu (M4A, 2 MB)
The Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department provides walk-in access to nursing and medical care 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You do not need an appointment. The department provides clinical services to treat the range of problems patients present as an emergency or urgently, in all age groups from babies to the elderly.
Please be aware that A&E is for patients who have an emergency which cannot be dealt with via a GP appointment or by calling the NHS Helpline on 111. Due to high demand, please only attend if you have a genuine emergency.
If you come to A&E and it is not an emergency then you may wait a long time to be seen, as we must prioritise the treatment of the sickest patients first, including patients suffering from:
A&E is for patients requiring emergency care for life-threatening conditions. Please use the service carefully so it can best support those with life-threatening and serious conditions.
Due to high demand, please only attend if you have a genuine emergency.
If you come to A&E and it is not an emergency you may wait a long time to be seen, as we must prioritise the treatment of the sickest patients first, including patients suffering from:
For less serious problems please book an appointment with your GP, call the NHS Helpline on 111 and speak to a highly-trained advisor or visit the Choose Well website, which includes more information about health services in Bradford and West Yorkshire.
We aim to see all patients as quickly and safely as possible. However, please be aware that everyone is assessed on clinical need so you may not be seen in order.
Also, because of the size and layout of A&E, you may be waiting in an area with only a few other patients, making the department appear quiet. However, patients are often being treated in other areas.
You will be booked into the department by one of our reception staff who will ask you for a number of details including your personal information, GP details and your presenting complaint.
Please remain polite and help our trained receptionists do this as quickly as possible.
An experienced nurse or doctor will see you and assess your condition before ‘streaming’ you to the appropriate area of the department.
At this point you may be discharged with advice and/or medication and treatment if required.
You may be seen and treated by a doctor, emergency nurse practitioner or advanced nurse practitioner.
If you don’t need to see a specialist, the Accident and Emergency staff will give you advice. You may have to come back to a clinic or go to your GP for follow-up care.
If you have been prescribed medication to take home with you, you will need to go to the Pharmacy. Each prescription costs £8.60, unless you have a valid exemption certificate.
We are not usually able to provide transport to take patients home. If possible, ask a relative or friend to collect you or call a taxi.
Following at A&E, most patients are discharged. A discharge summary is sent to each patient’s GP (if the patient is registered with a GP), giving details of investigations and treatment in the department, and any recommendations for aftercare.
If a patient needs to be admitted to hospital, their care will be taken over by one of our skilled inpatient specialty teams.
A lot of common illnesses can be treated at home by using over-the-counter medicine and getting plenty of rest.
It is worth keeping paracetamol or aspirin, anti-diarrhoea medicine, rehydration mixture, indigestion remedy, plasters and a thermometer in your medicine cabinet. Self-care is the best choice to treat very minor illnesses and injuries.
For more information, please visit www.nhs.uk.
Your local pharmacist can give you friendly, expert advice about over-the-counter medicines that can help with lots of common conditions such as diarrhoea, a runny nose, a painful cough or a headache, without the need for an appointment.
As well as dispensing prescriptions, pharmacists provide a range of services related to specific health issues and can advise on minor ailments such as colds, skin conditions and allergies. Other services include emergency contraception and incontinence supplies.
For help finding your nearest pharmacist, use the online search on www.nhs.uk.
Make an appointment with your local GP when you have an illness or injury that will not go away, including persistent vomiting, ear pain, stomach ache or back ache. Get the treatment you need at a convenient time and place and reduce the demand on our emergency services.
Registering is free and means you can make an appointment with a doctor for medical advice, examinations and prescriptions.
For help finding your nearest GP, use the online search on www.nhs.uk. If you need to see a GP urgently when your practice is closed, call 111 for fast medical advice.
Local urgent care and walk-in centres provide fast medical treatment and advice for patients with injuries which are urgent but do not require a visit to A&E. They can also be used when you can’t wait for an appointment with your GP.
They treat injuries and illnesses such as cuts, sprains and strains, broken bones, minor burns and scalds, minor head and eye injuries, bites and stings.
There’s no need to book an appointment – just turn up and you will be seen promptly by a doctor or nurse. To find your nearest urgent care or walk-in centre, visit NHS Choices online at www.nhs.uk. You can also call 111 for urgent medical advice.
When you need medical help fast but it is not an emergency, call the NHS freephone number 111. The 111 service operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Calls to 111 will be assessed, advice given and, if needed, patients will be directed to the most appropriate local health services. Calls to 111 are FREE wherever you call from. Call 111 if:
If it is an emergency and someone needs help to save their life, call 999 immediately.
The mental health emergency service is available to support people who are experiencing a mental health crisis and need help quickly. The service can be accessed through your GP and by calling 111. Lines are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Please note, our A&E Department does not treat dental emergencies.
If you have an emergency or urgent dental problem please contact your dentist. If you don’t have a dentist or need urgent or emergency care outside of your dentist’s normal working hours (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm), please contact NHS 111 by dialling 111 from your telephone.
We are doing everything possible to keep our patients and visitors safe. We have reviewed our visiting rules in light of the staged easing of the national lockdown, and the following restrictions are now in place:
Visiting for inpatients in our hospitals for over seven days will commence from March 29, 2021.
All other patients: we will only allow visits under the following exceptional circumstances:
Paediatric wards
Two parents or carers can swap in and out for visits/stays once every 24 hours.
Labour Ward and Birth Centre
A birth partner can stay for the duration of labour. This person is not interchangeable.
M3 patients: one-hour visits at a pre-arranged time between 1-5pm (except on the day of discharge) from one dedicated person, the birth partner.
M4 patients: one-hour visits at pre-arranged times (except on the day of discharge) from two dedicated people (separately), the birth partner and one nominated person (over 16 years).
Prenatal scans
Women are allowed to have one adult with them at all scans. This person should be the birthing partner or from the same household or bubble.
AED department supportive visits
One visitor will be allowed to be present where the patient is being treated in the resuscitation area or the High Dependency Unit section of the Accident and Emergency department.
The Trust will continue to support end-of-life visits (maximum of two relatives only at any one time). If the patient has more than two children (over the age of 16), all may visit, providing there are no more than two visiting at any one time.
A carer will be allowed to visit when the patient needs physical or cognitive support – with restrictions in place on the length of visit and number of visitors allowed.
Cognitive impairment is a catch-all term that covers a number of presentations but as a general rule includes:
The Trust has put in place a number of resources to support family members unable to visit patients:
Last edited 19/03/2021
Please note: Visitors to Bradford Teaching Hospitals under exceptional circumstances and people attending outpatients’ appointments must now wear a face mask at all times to protect them and others from coronavirus. It is important masks and face coverings are worn safely.
Anyone showing any symptoms of coronavirus should not visit. If you are in a high risk category i.e. you have an underlying health condition that puts you at risk of COVID-19, you should also not visit. More information on our current visiting policy.
The team at Bradford Teaching Hospitals are here to help your children 24/7. Keeping them – and anyone who needs us – safe and well remains our number one priority. For urgent healthcare advice, please call NHS 111.
In the film below, Consultant Paediatrician Dr Mat Mathai also explains when you should bring a child to A&E and the symptoms to look out for.
Our A&E Department is based at Bradford Royal Infirmary, Duckworth Lane, Bradford, BD9 6RJ. On entering, please report to A&E reception straight in front of you.
A full emergency service is provided at Bradford Royal Infirmary by senior accident and emergency staff, triage practitioners, nurse practitioners, cardiac arrest and trauma teams, and specialist opinion from all major specialties.
We aim to see patients as quickly as possible – nationally, the target is for 95 per cent to be treated within four hours. All patients will be seen and assessed by a qualified member of the nursing team before a decision is made on the treatment required.
We aim to keep patients fully informed about their treatment and involve them in all decisions about their care where necessary. The A&E department undertakes continuous self-monitoring to ensure patients are treated promptly and made as comfortable as possible during their stay.
Please see the AccessAble pages on A&E at Bradford Royal Infirmary and accessible parking. Information on general car parking at the hospital is available here.
For less serious problems the Choose Well website includes more information about services in Bradford and West Yorkshire, including:
