We have a full emergency department at the Lister and an A&E service at the QEII. The difference is that the Lister A&E / Emergency department provides specialist support to those requiring emergency surgery, stroke, cardiac or neonatal care – services that are not available at the QEII.
Taken together, however, they provide services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Our emergency department and A&E teams cover the whole of east and north Hertfordshire, as well as south Bedfordshire– a population of around 600,000 people. This means that:
- We see more than 135,000 patients a year
- Around 25% of those who come into our A&E departments are children
- About 21% of the patients we treat are admitted to hospital
Services for adults
QEII - Current A&E service provided 8.00am to 8.00pm daily, but treats minor injuries only overnight
Lister – Full A&E / emergency department service, 24 hours a day, every day of the week
Services for children
Over 12 months to 16 years of age
QEII – Treats minor injuries only, 24 hours a day
Lister- Full specialist children’s A&E / emergency department service, 24 hours a day, every day of the week
Babies aged up to 12 months
Where parents/carers of babies need to take them to hospital urgently, they should go to the nearest one with a full children’s A&E / emergency department – which normally will be the Lister hospital in Stevenage.
| Before you come… |
|---|
| Self-care – you may be able to treat minor illnesses or injuries such as sprains, strains, insect stings and cuts and grazes yourself |
| Calling NHS 111 – a nurse will give you confidential advice and information for round the clock health queries |
| Local pharmacist – can give advice for treating common illnesses and the best medicines to use |
| Visiting your GP – for medical advice, examinations or an illness or injury that require prescriptions |
| NHS walk-in centre – for treating minor illnesses and injuries that do not require an ED visit and without needing an appointment |
| A&E or 999 |
Minor Illnesses
Patients with minor illnesses are asked to contact their GP, GP out-of-hours service or NHS 111in the first instance for advice, support and treatment. Patients with serious or even life/limb threatening conditions should call 999 or take them to the nearest hospital with a full A&E / emergency department – which normally will be the Lister hospital in Stevenage.
Alternatively find out which NHS services are available in your local area here in Hertfordshire. Go to www.wheredoigo.org.uk .
