Emergency department Emergency department An emergency department (ED), also known as an accident & emergency department (A&E), emergency room (ER), emergency ward (EW) or casualty department, is a medical treatment facility specializing in emergency medicine, the acute care of patients who present without prior appointment; either by their own means or by that of an ambulance. The emergency department is usually found in a hospital or other primary care center. Due to the unplanned nature of patient attendance, the department must provide initial treatment for a broad spectrum of illnesses and injuries, some of which may be life-threatening and require immediate attention.
Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn site contains the main hospital building as well as the Fermoy Unit and the Arthur Levin Day Surgery Centre which are both joined to the main hospital building by a long service corridor. Also on the site is the private BMI Sandringham Hospital. The hospital has a full accident and emergency department. The hospital has MRI and CT scanners on site for imaging and diagnosis. There are 7 operating theatres and 19 inpatient wards. The wards are all named after local villages and towns. The hospital has 515 beds and the Hospital employs around 2,400 staff. The hospital works in