Emergency and Acute Medicine (GP information)

The Emergency Departments (ED) within the Bedfordshire Hospital Trust saw around 280,000 patients last year (2023/2024), including Urgent GP led services. The department provides full ED services for all minor injuries and illness, a major area for more serious conditions and trauma and resuscitation facilities for the most acutely unwell patients. Paediatric patients with minor injuries and illness are treated within the Paediatric Emergency Department (Peads ED) with more serious cases being referred to a specific paediatric unit.

ED operate 24 hours a days, 7 days a week. Patients can be brought to ED via ambulance and / or referred by their GP via the GP liaison service. When arriving in ED, patients are assessed by the streaming nurse who will assess the best service to see and treat their presenting condition. Patients may be streamed to services outside of the ED, including:

• The Urgent GP Centre (UGPC) is provided by ATRUMED Limited. Appointments can be booked by calling NHS 111 or via the Emergency Department. They treat all ages with minor eye injuries, minor illness, urine infections and other urgent medical treatment that is not an emergency. The centre is open from 08:00-00:00, 7 days a week.
• The Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC)is medical care provided on an outpatient basis, including diagnosis, observation, consultation, treatment and intervention. This care can include advanced medical technology and procedures to enable patients who are stable and ambulant who present at ED to receive treatment without an overnight stay in hospital.

Luton & Dunstable University Hospital

The Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) is medical care provided on an outpatient basis, including diagnosis, observation, consultation, treatment and intervention. This care can include advanced medical technology and procedures to enable patients who are stable and ambulant who present at ED to receive treatment without an overnight stay in hospital.

The SDEC unit operates 24 hours a days, 7 days a week.

The Emergency Assessment Units (EAUs) are located on the ground floor of the Medical Block. The Emergency Assessment Unit 1 (EAU1), closest to the Emergency Department, has a bed capacity of 25. Similarly, Ward 4, also known as Emergency Assessment Unit 2 (EAU2), is situated nearby with an identical bed capacity of 25. Both units are equipped to receive patients directly from the Emergency Department.

Ward 11 is a short-stay medical ward located on the third floor of the Medical Block, offering a bed capacity of 33. This ward accommodates patients transferred from the EAUs, Emergency Department, and Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) unit when necessary.

The GP Liaison team discuss with referrers and accept referrals on behalf of the surgical, medical and DME directorates advising on the most appropriate place for care for the individual patient to meet their needs.

Bedford Hospital

The Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) is medical care provided on an outpatient basis, including diagnosis, observation, consultation, treatment and intervention. This care can include advanced medical technology and procedures to enable patients who are stable and ambulant who present at ED to receive treatment without an overnight stay in hospital.

SDEC is open 7am – 7:30pm. Referrals are stopped at 5pm to ensure that all patients are discharged before this time.

The Acute Assessment Ward is located on the ground floor of the ward block. The ward receives admissions from the Emergency Department and is a 30 bedded unit which cares for patients from all specialities for 24 hour admission.

Whitbread Ward is a 27 bed short stay acute ward on the ground floor of the main ward block. They care for patients who have been assessed on AAU and either be prepared for discharge or transferred to the main hospital.