Patient information-accident and emergency Moorfields A&E at City Road

Welcome to the accident and you respect our doctors’ or nurses’ emergency (A&E) department at decision on the treatment that has been Moorfields Eye . This leaflet will considered best for you. Please note explain what to expect during your visit that we have a zero tolerance to to our A&E department and how you verbal and physical aggression will be assessed by our staff. Our shown towards our staff. hospital is a specialist eye hospital and we treat eye problems only. If you have If it has been decided that you do not a general health problem, you should need to be seen today one of the go to your local general A&E following may happen: department or contact your GP. 1. You may be given an appointment in Upon arrival at A&E: our urgent care clinic (UCC) before Please take a ticket from the welcome you leave A&E. Our urgent care kiosk and seat yourself in front of the clinic is based in Cayton Street reception desk. You will be called opposite A&E and treats patients forward by the receptionist, who will be with less urgent eye problems. seeing patients in order of number. The 2. You may be advised to see your GP receptionist will ask you for some or optometrist for a referral to your personal details so that they can local eye clinic or to another clinic. register you onto our computer system. 3. You may be asked to return to You will then be asked to take a seat Moorfields Eye Hospital at City Road outside the triage (initial assessment) at a different time rooms where you will be called by 4. You may be told that there is no name to see a nurse or doctor. This professional treatment required. process helps us decide how urgent your eye problem is and if it is vital for Categories of A&E care: you to be seen today. If it has been decided that you do need to be seen today, you will be classified Please remember that the decision as one of the 4 categories below: made about your treatment is based  2 – Very urgent cases that need to upon clinical expertise and your be treated straight away by the individual needs. We therefore ask that doctor/nurse.

This information can be made available in alternative formats, such as easy read or large print on request. Please call PALS: 020 7566 2324/ 020 7566 2325 1

 3 – Urgent cases that need to be  Patients are seen according to treated within an hour by the their clinical priority, and not doctor/nurse. necessarily their time of arrival.  4 – Less urgent cases that still need  Priority may be given to children to be seen today by the doctor/nurse and patients who are generally  5 – Cases that may be treated by a unwell, as they may need to be specially-trained ophthalmic seen more urgently. emergency nurse practitioner (ENP).  Patients with potentially contagious eye conditions will be If you have been placed in categories asked to wait in a separate area. 2-4, you will be examined by a nurse  If you start feeling unwell while who will ask some questions, check you are waiting, please tell a your vision and carry out any relevant member of staff, who will ensure tests, after which you will be asked to that you are assessed by our wait to see a doctor. or medical team and given the appropriate care. If you have been placed in category ‘5’,  If you are experiencing pain, you will see one of our ophthalmic please tell the triage nurse or emergency nurse practitioners, who will doctor, who can give you some carry out a full examination and give pain relief medication, either in you the appropriate treatment. Our aim the form of eye drops or tablets. is to see, treat and discharge all  If you have any further questions, patients within four hours. This is the please do not hesitate to national target for A&E departments approach any of our staff – we and we make every effort to see you are always happy to help. within this time frame. We appreciate your patience and understanding while Facilities available during your A&E waiting for our doctors or nurses to see visit: and treat you. Toilets: The nearest toilets can be found along the corridor next to the triage cubicles – Please note: please follow the yellow line on the floor  There is very limited seating from the main A&E waiting area for space in the waiting area. Once guidance. you have been to see the triage team, we tend to prioritise this Drinking water: area for patients who are waiting Water dispensers can be found in the to be seen. We therefore ask that A&E waiting area. you are accompanied by one person only whilst waiting to see the doctor or nurse.

Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust City Road, EC1V 2PD Phone: 020 7253 3411 www.moorfields.nhs.uk 2

Shops We will text you to ask whether you  There is a Costa coffee shop on would recommend our A&E department the ground floor where you can to your friends and family. Personal buy hot drinks and snacks – details or mobile number will not be follow the yellow line for linked to your feedback. To see what guidance. we do in response to your feedback, please go to the Moorfields website.  There is a shop, run by the Thank you for contributing and helping Friends of Moorfields where you shape the future of patient experience can buy drinks, snacks, at Moorfields A&E magazines, papers and other goods. It is located opposite the If you don’t have a mobile phone or main clinic area on the ground would prefer to share your thoughts on floor (follow the yellow line for a paper form, please ask one of the guidance). staff. You can also complete the test online at: Vending machines www.moorfields.nhs.uk/content/moorfiel If you are in A&E at a time when the ds-friends-and-family-test-fft shops are closed, there are several vending machines available, selling a Author: Juliet Dugdill, A&E specialty manager Revision number: 4 variety of drinks and snacks. These can Approval date: September 2019 be found in A&E and next to the coffee Review date: September 2022

shop on the ground floor. Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Pharmacy Foundation Trust If you have been given a prescription City Road, London EC1V 2PDPhone: for medications after being seen in 020 7253 3411 A&E, these will be dispensed for you by www.moorfields.nhs.uk pharmacy or A&E staff. If you have any questions, please don’t Moorfields Direct telephone helpline hesitate to speak to one of the A&E Phone: 020 7566 2345 staff. You can leave the A&E Monday-Friday, 8.30am-9pm department without losing your place Saturday, 9am-5pm but please inform a member of staff Information and advice on eye when you leave and when you return. conditions and treatments from experienced ophthalmic-trained nurses. NHS Friends and Family Test A new way to give us your feedback Patient advice and liaison service The staff caring for you today would like (PALS) to know what you thought of the service Phone: 020 7566 2324/ 020 7566 2325 they provide. Email: [email protected]

Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust City Road, London EC1V 2PD Phone: 020 7253 3411 www.moorfields.nhs.uk 3

Moorfields’ PALS team provides confidential advice and support to help you with any concerns you may have about the care we provide, guiding you through the different services available at Moorfields. The PALS team can also advise you on how to make a complaint.

Your right to treatment within 18 weeks Under the NHS constitution, all patients have the right to begin consultant-led treatment within 18 weeks of being referred by their GP. Moorfields is committed to fulfilling this right, but if you feel that we have failed to do so, please contact our patient advice and liaison service (PALS) who will be able to advise you further (see above). For more information about your rights under the NHS constitution, visit www.nhs.uk/choiceinthenhs

Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust City Road, London EC1V 2PD Phone: 020 7253 3411 www.moorfields.nhs.uk 4