Acute and emergency care

The Acute and Emergency Care Group is made up of various departments such as the Emergency Department, Acute Medical Unit and Emergency Surgical Assessment Unit. The Emergency Department (ED) at the Royal is the biggest and busiest in Merseyside.

All patients that come to our Emergency Department will be seen and assessed by a qualified member of the nursing team, subject to a national set of assessment guidelines, a decision will be made as to which area of the department will best suit your clinical needs.

Once you have been checked in (either at the reception desk if you arrive on your own, or by the ambulance crew if you have been brought in) you will be assessed by how urgent your care is. If you are asked to sit in the waiting room, you will then be seen by a triage nurse, who will assess the level of care that is needed/who it is you need to see/whether you need to be seen by the emergency service dept or whether you can be cared for by an another medical service. If you are assessed as needing emergency care, you will then be asked to wait in the waiting room for the next available medical professional. Patients are assessed and prioritised in terms of care needed. Patients aren't always seen in order of their arrival at the Emergency Department. Other people may take priority to you, and therefore you will have to be patient when waiting to be seen.

Alternatives to the Emergency Department (ED)

In some circumstances the ED may not be the most appropriate place to receive treatment. If you become unwell make sure you choose the right healthcare service to receive treatment.

Self Care

With the right advice and information plus a well stocked medicine cabinet lots of minor ailments can be treated or prevented effectively.

NHS 111 - for non-emergencies

You can call 111 when you need medical help fast but it’s not a 999 emergency.

NHS 111 is a fast and easy way to get the right help, whatever the time.

NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Calls are free from landlines and mobile phones. You can find out more about NHS 111 here.

Pharmacy

Your local Pharmacist is trained to offer advice about how to treat everyday medical problems and will advise if your symptoms mean that you should seek further medical help. Your can find a local pharmacist and other healthcare providers at NHS Choices.

GP Services

Your family doctor provides general medical care, prescriptions and referral to a specialist or hospital clinic. A list of GPs can be found at NHS Choices.

To access the GP Out of Hours Service contact your local GP and listen to their answerphone message which will give instructions how to access this service.

The Mersey View GP walk-in service is open between 8am and 8pm, seven days a week including Bank Holidays.

The centre aims for you to see a doctor within 20 minutes from booking in at the reception area.Following your visit, all your notes will be sent to your GP practice within 24 hours.

For more information see our Emergency Options page