Accident and emergency (A&E)

A&E is for life-threatening emergencies

Unless your condition is life threatening, please don’t just turn up or walk into the emergency department (A&E). Please think pharmacist, GP or NHS 111 online first. In an emergency, always call 999.

The accident and emergency (A&E) department at The James Cook University Hospital deals with genuine life-threatening emergencies 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This includes:

loss of consciousness
acute confused state and fits that are not stopping
chest pain
breathing difficulties
severe bleeding that cannot be stopped
severe allergic reactions
severe burns or scalds
stroke
major trauma such as a road traffic accident

Minor illness or injury?

Minor injuries and minor illnesses should be treated at our urgent treatment centres.

If you think you have symptoms of COVID-19 and need medical advice, use the NHS 111 online COVID-19 service

Eye casualty

Eye casualty at James Cook is open seven days a week and is staffed by ophthalmic nurse practitioners who deal with any eye emergency presenting in the eye outpatients department from 8am to 4pm Monday to Friday and 8am to midday on weekends and bank holidays. Outside of these hours patients should present to the emergency department. Patients should only attend the department if they have a true eye casualty complaint such as an acute injury, foreign body or acute loss of vision. For less serious or general eye complaints please visit a local optician.

Major trauma network

We provide the regional major trauma centre for Durham, East Cleveland, Tees Valley and North Yorkshire and are one of only a few UK hospitals that can receive helicopters day or night.

The hospital is part of a network of major trauma centres across the country ensuring patients with serious and life-threatening injuries are treated quickly in a specialist hospital where expert staff are available round the clock.

Our trauma team is made up of doctors and nurses from emergency medicine, anaesthetics, orthopaedics, surgery, intensive care and radiology.

The team has immediate access to specialists in paediatrics, plastics, vascular, maxillofacial, cardiothoracic and neurosurgery.

If you have a serious injury the air ambulance can bypass other hospitals and bring you straight here. Our trauma team will be ready and waiting.

Whether it’s an injury to head, chest, abdomen, pelvis, face, spine, bones, soft tissues, whether adult or child, all our specialties are here on one site.

James Cook is a regional level 1 trauma centre as well as a supra-regional spinal injury centre.

#DoYourBit – choose the right NHS service

Do your bit and help protect the NHS so we can provide emergency care for those who really need it.

If your need is not life threatening, please do not come into A&E without first seeking advice from NHS 111, a pharmacist or your GP.
For minor illnesses or minor injuries go to your nearest urgent treatment centre.
For urgent dental advice call 0300 123 1933.
Can’t get an urgent appointment with your South Tees GP? Ask them to make you an evening or weekend appointment with South Tees Access Response (STAR) GP hubs or call 111.

Not sure what to do?

NHS 111 can help if you need urgent medical help or you are not sure what to do.

They will ask questions about your symptoms so you get the help you need.

If you need to go to the emergency department or an urgent treatment centre, NHS 111 can book you an arrival time where appropriate so you spend less time waiting.

You can get help from 111.nhs.uk or call 111 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Get help from 111.nhs.uk