Emergency department

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. 

Building work to improve our Emergency Department

At Alder Hey’s Emergency Department, some children and young people who attend do not require emergency care, which can result in longer waiting times for others.

To address this, we are constructing a new, purpose-built facility connected to the current Emergency Department.

This facility will include a Paediatric Admissions Unit, a Same Day Emergency Centre, and an Urgent Treatment Centre, enabling children and young people to receive timely care from the most appropriate clinical team.

The new building is designed to enhance patient flow, improve the overall experience, and reduce waiting times and length of stay.

Construction has begun, and to facilitate the connection between the two areas, the Emergency Department waiting room has been temporarily relocated to the Hospital’s Radiology Department.

Children and young people with additional needs

We have a sensory room away from the waiting area that can be utilised by children or young people who may need it. Please speak to a member of staff on the reception or triage desk to find out more.

Accessing A&E

You can find out more about how to access our Emergency Department in the below video:

Symptom Checker

We have been experiencing extremely high levels of attendance in the Emergency Department. If your need is not urgent, you could face a lengthy wait. Check your child’s symptoms before attending our Emergency Department by using our Symptom Checker tool below.

We have developed a new ‘symptom checker’ to help parents and carers understand their poorly child’s symptoms and what they can do for them. Using the Symptom Checker will help parents and carers decide where best to get the right care for their child, be it at home, at their local chemist, walk-in centre or GP, or with a trip to Alder Hey’s Emergency Department. Click the below button to use our online Symptom Checker.

Walk In Centres

There a several available Walk In Centres in Liverpool offering same day access to medical advice and treatment.

Triaging

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.

Referrals 

We do not accept referrals to the Paediatric Emergency Medicine Team. If your GP would like you to be seen at Alder Hey, they may send you to the Emergency Department, but this should be to a speciality team with whom they have discussed your child’s care prior to your arrival.  If this telephone referral is not made, your child will be triaged and will wait for an Emergency Department doctor or nurse practitioner in the general queue.

Where are we? 

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 postcode to use is L12 2AP.