You may be told to bring your child to the emergency department by your GP, or you may decide that your child needs urgent care. Seriously ill children will be brought to the department by ambulance.
If possible, please bring your child’s red book (personal child health record) and a list of any medications they are receiving.
Is the emergency department the right place to bring my child?
We assess and treat children who have developed a sudden illness or who have suffered a recent injury or accident.
If your child has been suffering a medical problem for more than 48 hours, please call your GP surgery first. If your child has a minor injury or illness, you may find it easier to go to the Urgent Care Centre at Guy’s Hospital.
If you are unsure whether the emergency department is the right place to bring your child, call the NHS 24 hour helpline on 111 for advice. They will advise you on whether to come to the emergency department, go to another NHS urgent care centre, or contact your GP.
Our choose well leaflet (PDF 72Kb) is also available to help you choose the right please to go for care.
How the emergency department works
Take a ticket and wait.
Registration: a receptionist will call your ticket number and you will be asked to register your child’s details. All the information that you give us will be treated in confidence.
Nurse assessment: a nurse will call you and your child by name to assess the seriousness of your child’s condition. They may also arrange some tests for your child.
Treatment: this will depend on your child’s condition. We use a priority system so that the most seriously ill children are seen first.
Going home
We will send your child’s GP a letter with details of their visit to the emergency department.
If your child needs to come back for additional treatment at the review clinic or fracture clinic, our reception staff will book an appointment before you leave. If you need to contact us about this appointment, please call the department on 020 7188 2111.