Emergency Department

NHS 111 first

If you need medical help fast, but your condition is not life-threatening, you can call NHS 111 or visit NHS111 online (24/7 - free to call). Speak to trained advisors and experienced clinicians who can assess you, offer advice, and direct you to the right place to get the medical care you need as quickly as possible.

Opening times - our Emergency Department at Hereford County Hospital is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

How to find Emergency Department and parking

• Find out how to find us.
• If you're bringing a friend or relative to the Emergency Department, there is a short stay pay-and-display car park with limited spaces near the front of the Emergency Department. Please see further down this page for information on bringing a relative or friend with you.

Waiting times

You can access our Emergency Department waiting times here.

• We continue to strive to see and treat all Emergency Department patients within four hours.
• How long you will have to wait will depend on the number of patients attending at the time and the complexity of their clinical needs.

What to expect on arrival

• When you arrive at the Emergency Department at the County Hospital in Hereford, after registration, you will be assessed by a nurse who will determine the nature of your illness or injury and how urgent it is for you to be seen. Read more about what to expect on arrival.
• Visiting/patients being escorted - updated 17/10/22 - There are no specific visiting times - patients in ED can be escorted by one relative/carer while they receive treatment in the department

Emergency Department pitstop service

Watch our staff recognition video about our Emergency Department pitstop service, to help see and treat patients more quickly. We have put a number of changes in place, new ways of working, and services, to help us see and treat patients more quickly in our Emergency Department, including the pitstop service and our Same Day Emergency Care Unit.

Same Day Emergency Care Unit (SDEC)

The Same Day Emergency Care Unit (SDEC) and (FSDEC) Frailty Same Day Emergency Care Unit (FSDEC) and Surgical Same Day Emergency Care Unit (SSDEC) are an extension of the emergency department.

If you have a minor injury or illness

If you have a minor illness or injury, click on the link below to access information and contact details for: self-care, local pharmacies, GP surgeries, out-of-hours GP access, emergency dental treatment, Minor Injury Units, and when to call NHS 111.

Please note: some Minor Injury Units are closed. Please call NHS 111 if you need medical advice for minor illnesses or ailments. Find out about alternative NHS services

Trauma status award

We have been awarded trauma status, which means we support the regional trauma centre at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. Our role is to provide assessment and stabilisation of trauma patients before transfer to the trauma centre, and rehabilitation for local patients once they are fit for transfer back to Herefordshire.

Friends and Family Test

The Friends and Family Test is a simple question that patients are asked about the care they have received. The test is part of a way of gathering patient feedback and driving improvement in NHS hospital services across the country.