What is best time to go to A&E?
6-7am. That is the short answer.
Why? We all know, NHS hospital’s A&Es are very busy – every day. They are busiest (with patients on trolleys in the corridors) in the period 12-10pm; and can be chaotic at around 4-8pm. They start to sort themselves out after 12 midnight. But the least busy time at A&E is 6-9am.
So .. 6-7am is the best time to go to A&E.
Quiet
It’s the quiet-ish time of day in an A&E (“Please don’t tell anyone”. We won’t, promise, CKDEx Ed). So why is this the least busy time at A&E?
Nurses
They have a shift handover at around 7am. So a new fresh shift will be there. Their mental skills are often best early in the day.
Doctors
Junior doctors and middle grade doctors (registrars)
The morning shift usually starts at 8am. Again doctors mental skills will be better, and they may be more likely to get the diagnosis and treatment right. So if you arrive at 7am, the investigations (if required) will be back for the doctors to review at the start of their shift.
Senior doctors (consultants)
They have a ‘take period’ (when they take responsibility for you) which is usually 8am-8am (the next day). But they are not actually in the hospital for the whole 24h period. They will be there 8am-6pm-ish.
Investigations
Many patients who attend A&E require investigations. This may be simple (blood and urine test, a chest x-ray or ECG (electric recording of heart)); or more complicated (ultrasound, CT or MRI). Ideally, they should be done early in the day so the results come back that morning (or by mid afternoon); so that the same shift of doctors and nurses that requested them will be there to review the results and act on them.
Summary
We have described what is the best time to go to A&E. 6-7am. If you are very unwell, don’t wait for this time slot. Just go. Even though A&Es are very busy at the moment, we want to look after you. Get there somehow even if ambulances are not quick enough at present. We are there to help you.
Last Reviewed on 15 March 2024