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.
University Hospital Lewisham on the roof. In 2012, architects AWW worked with the hospital to re-plan five wards and medical facilities whilst maintaining the Emergency Department. The expanded facilities improve efficiency with the addition of a new Children's Emergency Department, Urgent Care Centre and new emergency x-ray facilities. In July 2012, South London Healthcare NHS Trust was put into financial administration. A government report in 2012 recommended that three SLHT hospitals should be taken over by nearby NHS trusts and that the University Hospital Lewisham Accident and Emergency unit should close, with A&E patients instead going to the SLHT-run Queen Elizabeth Hospital in