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The Accident and Emergency Department (A&E) assesses and treats people with serious injuries and those in need of emergency treatment. We provide immediate care for people of all age groups.
Both City and Sandwell hospitals have 24-hour emergency departments. They deal with all emergency injuries and illnesses and trauma for children and adults.
Please note some services are split across the two sites you may well be directed or admitted to the opposite site.
As well as treating and assessing all types of serious illness and injury including medical, surgical and trauma requirements, immediate X-ray, scans and blood supplies are available. Doctors within the department are trained to the highest standards.
The department also offers early assessment and treatment for strokes, with the ability to stabilise, resuscitate and treat extremely ill or injured patients. Priority is given to stroke and heart attack patients, along with young children. We use triage – a way of classifying cases in order of seriousness – to direct patients to the right treatment for the fastest possible service.
Live A&E Wait Times
Eye Emergency
There is a specialist eye A&E department in the Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre (BMEC) at City Hospital, which is open at the following times:
Monday to Saturday – 8.30am to 7pm
Sunday/Bank Holidays – 9am to 6pm
Please note, City Hospital’s main A&E department deals with eye emergencies outside these times, but you may be assessed and advised to return to BMEC during the opening hours.
Alternatives to A&E
There are a number of ways to access medical help. Please only visit our A&E departments if your condition is serious or life threatening.
Walk-in centres
They are open seven days a week and services are located at:
- Urgent Treatment Centre, Sandwell Hospital, Little Lane entrance, West Bromwich, B71 4HJ (open 9am-9pm)
- Summerfield Urgent Care Centre, 134 Heath Street, Winson Green, Birmingham, B18 7AL (open 8am-8pm)
GP Practices
Most GP practices are offering weekend access. To find out if your practice is participating in this scheme please call the usual practice phone number and listen to the full instructions.
Alternatively, you can check your practice’s opening times via https://www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/GP/LocationSearch/4
NHS111
This service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Patients can get medical advice, self-care support, prescriptions and in some cases book appointments. Go to https://111.nhs.uk/
Patients can also download the Ask NHS App.
Pharmacies
There are a number of late night pharmacies opening in the vicinity of Sandwell and City Hospitals.
They are:
Late Night Pharmacy and Opticians
328-330 Dudley Rd, Birmingham B18 4HJ.
0121 454 4466
Monday-Friday: 9am-10pm.
Saturdays: 10am-10pm
Sunday: 12pm-8pm.
Al-Shafa Pharmacy
93 Shireland Road, Smethwick, B66 4QJ.
0121 448 8665
Monday-Saturday: 9am-Midnight
Sunday: 10.30am- 8.30pm
Lloyds Pharmacy
West Gate Plaza, 19 Moor St, B70 7AD.
0121 525 4928
Monday-Saturday: 8am-11pm
Sunday: 10am-8pm
Asda Pharmacy
Asda Superstores, Brickhouse Lane, Tipton, DY4 7HW.
0121 521 5340
Monday-Saturday: 9am-8pm
Sunday: 10am-4pm
For more information about pharmacy opening times see https://beta.nhs.uk/find-a-pharmacy/