Emergency Department

No matter how busy our Emergency Department is, the most seriously ill and injured patients will always be seen immediately. But if you attend our Emergency Department and your case is deemed clinically to be a non-emergency issue, you will instead be supported to access an alternative, more appropriate service when safe to do so. Click here for more information.

When visiting our Emergency Department, the below safety measures will be in place.

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Emergency Department Live Status

The below is an indicator of our live Emergency Department status. This data is updated periodically, and is designed to give an indication of how busy the department is. *Waiting times are subject to change.*

Our Emergency Department is currently experiencing normal levels of activity. Waiting time is approx. 0-2 hours.

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What to expect when you come to Alder Hey's Emergency Department

Everyone who comes to Alder Hey's Emergency Department is triaged on arrival, so patients can be seen in order of priority.

We understand that long waits can be frustrating, however it means that the children going ahead are more unwell, even if that isn’t always visible.

Some of the sickest children come directly through another entrance and you may not be aware of their arrival in the department.

We designate arrivals into one of the below categories, which has an influence on wait times:

Green / see and treat category – we feel your child is safe to wait for a consultation, these children will wait the longest within the department
Yellow category – your child needs to be seen and will be prioritised but there will still be a wait
Orange category – Your child needs to be seen urgently, they will be seen as soon as a clinician is available. They will be taken into a room as soon as possible
Red category – your child is very unwell and needs to be seen immediately

What our ED does

Provide excellent emergency care for children and young people
Offer a child-friendly emergency department
Offer language line service on tablets
Sensory room available (subject to COVID regulations – currently closed)
Play specialists
Food/drink and nappies for patients
Limited emergency parking available

What our ED doesn't do

Sadly, we are unable to help with in following circumstances:

In-growing toenails
Dental problems without abscess/swelling – contact own dentist or emergency dentist
Long term problems - these are generally better seen by a GP and referred to specialty teams/ clinics
Delays in outpatients referrals – should be raised directly with specialty team/ referrer
Phlebotomy/blood tests
X-rays after midnight, except in exceptional circumstances
See patients quicker if they arrive by ambulance

*Please note* - we will not tolerate any form of abuse towards our staff.

Advice for parents on colds, temperatures, vomiting and other conditions

Colds

Temparatures/Fevers

gastroenteritis (Vomiting & Diarrhea)

Please note, we can only offer treatment to young people under the age of 16, after which they will need to attend an adult Emergency department. You can find your nearest Adult A&E service on the NHS choices website.

Where to find Alder Hey's Emergency Department

Our Emergency Department has a dedicated entrance at Alder Hey in the Park.

To access the Emergency Department by car, enter the hospital site from the Eaton Road entrance where there is a short stay car park and drop-off facility. For sat-navs, the post code to use is L12 2AP.

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