Same day emergency care (SDEC)

Same day emergency care (SDEC) is a service that provides urgent care to patients without an admission to hospital. We also have a special assessment area for older patients.

In SDEC, we treat many common conditions including headaches, deep vein thrombosis, cellulitis and diabetes. We also receive many of the community referrals, mainly from GPs.

Patients in our emergency department will be considered for same day emergency care to ensure that the most people benefit from rapid access to the right treatment.

What happens when I come to SDEC?

You will be assessed, diagnosed and treated with a focus on getting you back home safely on the same day.

Where possible, we aim to arrange any diagnostic tests within the duration of your visit. We'll also try to give you the results on the same day.

You may have treatment while in SDEC, or we might recommend that your GP starts treatment.

Frailty unit

The frailty unit, based in SDEC, has been set up to provide urgent assessment and treatment for older patients.

Patients are identified as soon as they present to the hospital and are taken to the dedicated unit which is led by consultant geriatricians. They are given a clear plan of care with the aim of minimising their length of stay in hospital.

Read our press release on the launch of the unit.