The service provided by the Emergency Department
Blackpool Teaching Hospital’s Emergency Department (ED) is a department providing 24 hour emergency care. We aim to provide a quality service for patients with both minor and major injuries and accidents. We treat over 200 patients daily. We operate an efficient service with an experienced team of consultants, doctors, advanced nurse practitioners, emergency nurse practitioners, nurses, emergency department physiotherapists and occupational therapists, admin staff and domestic staff. We aim to treat all patients within 4 hours, in line with Government targets.
Whether you arrive at the department by car, taxi, foot or ambulance, please be aware that treatment of our patients is prioritised according to the clinical need and also how unwell you are. If you arrive by ambulance, this does not necessarily mean you will be treated immediately and you may still be taken to the waiting area. Please only call for an ambulance in an emergency
Please be aware that patients are prioritised according to clinical need rather than their arrival time. Some patients can be seen by emergency nurse practitioners whilst others will be seen by a doctor.
Therefore you may be required to wait for treatment and sometimes patients arriving after you may be treated before you. On occasion you may be required to wait when the department appears to be less busy.
Much of the work carried out takes place in parts of the department you cannot see and sometimes one or more patients may arrive with serious problems which may require the attention of many of our staff.
Our staff work extremely hard, sometimes in stressful conditions, to treat all patients as quickly as possible whilst providing a quality patient service. We appreciate waiting for treatment can be an unnerving experience but please try and be patient.
Some doctors in our departments are speciality doctors who have been called down to see a specific patient with a particular condition. These doctors do not normally work in the Emergency Department and are unable to treat other patients.
Please be assured that we won’t have forgotten about you but do not hesitate to ask at the reception if you are concerned that you have been waiting longer than expected or if your condition deteriorates. Discourtesy or rudeness will not speed up your treatment and the hospital operates a zero tolerance policy on violence and aggression towards our staff.
Please do not walk around and through the Emergency Department unless instructed by a member of staff. Patients require privacy and dignity whilst under our care.
After assessment you may be referred to an on-call GP out of hours, patients may also be sent to x-ray or seen by a specialist doctor – this does not mean they are jumping the queue.
The ED is here to treat emergencies and injuries; however, the department is not the most appropriate place for care for routine management of long term problems/ illnesses. Your GP can refer you for further investigations or specialist opinion. If you cannot wait for your local GP surgery, please go to your local Pharmacy or Walk-In Centre. In most cases you will need to see your GP/ family doctor after seeing us. If you do not have one contact NHS 111.
You will be seen by a doctor, an Advanced Nurse Practitioner or Emergency Nurse Practitioner. Please ask if you don’t understand what they discuss with you. You may then have to wait for tests, treatment or to be seen by a specialty doctor. Unfortunately we are unable to provide a second opinion and there are some tests and appointments that only your GP can make.
In certain circumstances, such as with major trauma, major head injuries, some facial injuries or serious burns’, patients may be transferred to a hospital which can offer more specialist treatment. This ensures the patient receives the best care possible. Before a patient is transferred they will be stabilised in the ED.
You may sometimes feel you should have an x-ray but the doctor doesn’t order one. This is because x-rays do not show everything and they are a large source of radiation which accumulates in the body. We therefore try not to x-ray unless necessary.
Even if certain bones are broken, the treatment is the same so there is no need to x-ray. It is vital that if you suspect you may be pregnant that you tell the doctor, nurse or radiographer before your x-ray. Your x-ray will be reported on by the department of radiology and you may be contacted if this reveals anything new. Please be aware there can sometimes be a wait for blood test results and x-rays.
Our ED provides a service for emergencies and injuries. To help the department keep waiting times to a minimum for yourself and other patients, please only use the service for this purpose. For minor illnesses and injuries your GP or pharmacy may be able to offer advice and treatment or alternatively you can contact NHS 111 (a 24 hour advice service).
Most patients will not be admitted to hospital. The nurse or doctor will give you advice regarding your condition and sometimes a leaflet. If you have any concerns or questions please ask.
