Emergency and Acute Medicine (GP information)

The ED department at the L&D treats over 95,000 patients a year. The department provides full ED services for all minor injuries and illnesses, a majors area for more serious conditions and trauma and resuscitation facilities for the most acutely unwell patients. Paediatric patients with minor injuries and illnesses are treated within the Paeds ED department and more serious cases are referred to the Paediatric Assessment Unit (PAU) adjacent to the paediatric wards.

The Urgent GP Centre (UGPC) is provided by ATRUMED Limited who commenced providing this service on 1st September 2017 on behalf of Luton CCG. The (UGPC) is based on the L&D site, adjacent to the ED department. It provides a GP-led minor illness service which sees over 40,000 patients a year.

There is a 22 bedded female Emergency Assessment Unit (EAU) and a 25 bedded male EAU adjacent to the ED department. Patients are transferred to the EAUs through A&E or may be directly referred by a GP through the GP liaison team. The units offer an integrated rapid assessment and diagnostic facility for patient with acute problems requiring urgent review and treatment as hospital inpatients.

The GP Liaison team discuss with referrers and accept referrals on behalf of the surgical, medical and DME directorates advising on the most appropriate place for care for the individual patient to meet their needs.

The Ambulatory Care Centre (ACC) is medical care provided on an outpatient basis, including diagnosis, observation, consultation, treatment and intervention. This care can include advanced medical technology and procedures to enable patients who are stable and ambulant who present at ED to receive treatment without an overnight stay in hospital.

The ED and EAUs operate 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

The UGPC is open from 08.00 to midnight 7 days a week.

The ACC is open from 09.00 – 21.00 Monday to Friday with a reduced service at the weekend.