Welcome to the Emergency Unit
The Emergency Unit assesses, treats and resuscitates patients who have been injured or are severely ill by appropriately trained and experienced staff, and refers patients as needed.
What we offer and who should attend?
Our service is available 24 hours a day to adults, children and babies. Patients who present any the following would be included in our core service:
- Trauma, usually within two days of injury
- Pain, unrelieved by simple painkillers
- Sudden or serious deterioration in someone's condition
- Respiratory distress
- Change in mental status, including alteration of consciousness and acute confusional states
- Patients brought to hospital by the police
- Patients brought to hospital by emergency ambulance
- Patients appropriately referred by any other health care professional
In addition, we may review patients for reassessment and follow-up.
Exclusions
The Emergency Unit is not intended to provide care usually delivered at your GP surgery. Patients outside the broad definitions (above) should initially seek help from their GP. In particular, the Emergency Unit does not expect to provide assessment of non-acute problems or to offer routine second opinions. Patients who do attend with such conditions will be redirected to the most appropriate source of health care.
When can I attend the Emergency Unit?
The Emergency Unit is open continuously 24 hours a day every day of the year.
Where is the Emergency Unit?
The Emergency Unit is on the lower ground floor of the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, CF14 4XW.
How can I get advice about my condition?
If you would just like advice about a health problem you should not ring the Emergency Unit. You should speak to your GP or local pharmacist, or ring NHS Direct on 0845 4647.
Other information
If you are responsible for small children or babies, it would minimise distress to the child and disruption to the department if you could arrange for someone else to look after the baby at home while you attend the Emergency Unit (whether as a patient yourself or accompanying a friend or relative).
Please note that the Emergency Unit has a zero tolerance policy on violence and aggressive behaviour.
What happens when you arrive at the Emergency Unit?
Reception
You are registered on arrival at the department: this includes details such as your name, age, address. You will also be triaged by a nurse soon after arrival into categories to determine the urgency with which you need to be assessed and treated. You will also be directed into an area of the department most appropriate to you or your condition: children are seen within a dedicated children's area; adults with minor injuries or illness wait in the main waiting area; those too unwell or unable to wait there will be seen on a trolley; the more seriously ill will be seen in our High Dependency Unit or the Resuscitation room.
Assessment
This may be by a doctor, nurse practitioner, physiotherapist or pharmacist. Sometimes you may be asked if you would agree to be seen by a medical student. It will not affect your treatment if you say no.
Patient assessment may involve physical examination and investigations including blood tests, ECGs and X-rays. The aim is to establish a diagnosis and decide on the best treatment for you.
Treatment
If you are discharged from the department, you may be prescribed treatment or otherwise advised how to manage your condition. You may also be asked to return to the department, go to another clinic for further review, or to visit your GP. Occasionally we need to recall patients by phone if a review of their notes or X-rays indicates that further treatment might be needed.
If you need hospital admission your treatment will ideally begin while in the Emergency Unit, and transferred as soon as possible to an inpatient bed.
Location
University Hospital of Wales
Cardiff
CF14 4XW
Tel: 029 2074 8047/8025
changes to the opening hours of the Barry Minor Injuries Unit. 
