Emergency Department

The Emergency Zone at Southmead Hospital, Bristol, includes:

• Minor Injuries Unit (any age)
• Emergency Department (age 16 years and over)
• Acute Medical Unit
• Surgical Admissions Unit
• Major Trauma Centre

Each year over 90,000 people are seen in the Emergency Department (often referred to as A&E) and our staff see and treat more than 1,700 people every week.

The Emergency Department is for the most seriously ill or injured patients and we ask you to consider whether you need urgent and emergency care services. 

If you do need to come to hospital we will do our best to see you as quickly as possible, but please be aware that at particularly busy times this may take longer than we would like.

Other healthcare options and advice are available, for example, from your GP, local pharmacist or by contacting NHS 111.

If you come to the Emergency Department at Southmead Hospital when you should be seen elsewhere we will direct you to other services.

In a life-threatening emergency go to the Emergency Department or call 999. For children under the age of 16 with life-threatening emergencies go to the Emergency Department at the Children’s Hospital, Bristol, or call 999.