Practical Ways to Shorten Your Time in A&E

Before leaving home

The biggest factor in how long your A&E visit takes is whether A&E is the right destination in the first place. Getting that decision right can save you more time than every other tip on this page combined.

1. Ask whether A&E is actually the right destination

Plenty of conditions can be dealt with elsewhere in less time:

• Community pharmacy — allergies, skin rashes, cold and flu symptoms, minor eye irritation, hay fever, cystitis in women under 65, athlete's foot and many more. Pharmacists are trained clinicians and can prescribe a growing range of medications directly.
• Your GP — anything that can safely wait for a same-day or next-day appointment. Many practices now offer same-day urgent slots if you call at opening time.
• NHS 111 — when you need advice out of hours or are unsure where to go. Our full guide to 111 explains exactly what happens when you call and how it can cut your wait.
• Urgent Treatment Centre — fractures, sprains, minor burns, wounds needing stitches, ear and urinary infections. Our guide on A&E vs UTC explains the difference in detail.

If you have already decided A&E is necessary — because the condition is genuinely life-threatening or you need specialist emergency resources — the rest of this guide will help you minimise your time there.

2. Compare departments on this site

Two hospitals ten miles apart can have wildly different queue lengths at the same moment. A slightly longer drive to a quieter department often pays off many times over in reduced waiting. Use our live wait time comparison to check current queues before you set off, or browse the full hospitals list to compare all departments side by side.

Bear in mind that the displayed wait time is the typical time in department — the time from arrival to discharge or admission. A department showing 90 minutes will generally get you in and out faster than one showing 240 minutes, even accounting for a 20-minute longer drive.

3. Choose your timing carefully

If your condition allows some flexibility about when you go, timing your arrival can make a significant difference. Departments are emptiest between roughly 6 am and 9 am every day. The worst windows are:

• Monday mornings — a rush of patients whose problems built up over the weekend
• Weekday evenings from 6 pm to 10 pm — when people finish work and arrive with conditions they delayed during the day
• Friday and Saturday nights after pub closing — alcohol-related injuries and incidents cluster here

Our dedicated guide on the best and worst hours to arrive breaks this down day by day with data-backed analysis of when queues peak and trough across the week and through the seasons.

4. Pack before you leave

You can save yourself discomfort and administrative delays by preparing properly. Our complete checklist covers everything, but the essentials are:

• A list of every medication you currently take (or photographs of the boxes). This is one of the most frequent questions clinicians ask, and having the answer ready speeds up your assessment.
• A brief note of allergies and major past illnesses or operations
• Your NHS number if you have it to hand — it lets staff pull your records instantly
• Photo ID is not required but can help if there are duplicate patient records
• A phone charger and something to eat and drink — departments can be slow, and vending machines may be limited

Once you arrive

5. Know how triage works

Understanding the triage system helps set realistic expectations and reduces frustration. Staff assess every patient on arrival and assign a clinical priority category. Our detailed triage guide covers the full system, but in summary:

• Immediate — resuscitation bay, seen at once
• Very urgent — target within 10 minutes
• Urgent — target within 60 minutes
• Standard — target within 120 minutes
• Non-urgent — target within 240 minutes

Arrival time does not determine the order you are seen; clinical need does. A patient who walks in after you but is assessed as more urgent will legitimately be seen first. This is not queue-jumping — it is the system working correctly.

6. Be clear and concise at registration

When you first speak to the receptionist or triage nurse, give them a focused summary: what happened, when it started, and what has changed since. Avoid lengthy backstories at this stage — there will be time for a full history when you see the treating clinician. A clear initial summary helps the triage nurse categorise you accurately, which means you get the right priority.

7. Flag any change in your symptoms

If you start feeling significantly worse while you are waiting — new pain, dizziness, vomiting, confusion, spreading rash, chest tightness — walk to the desk and say so immediately. You may be re-assessed and moved to a higher priority. Do not assume staff will notice changes from across the waiting room; departments are busy and a verbal alert is the fastest route to re-assessment.

8. Use the wait productively

While you wait, there are practical things you can do:

• Write down a timeline of your symptoms — when they started, what made them better or worse, what you have already tried
• Note questions you want to ask the doctor
• If you are accompanying someone, offer to fetch their medication list from home or contact their GP surgery for records
• Stay hydrated and eat if you can — low blood sugar and dehydration can make symptoms worse and cloud your communication with clinicians

9. Understand the pauses between stages

A common source of frustration is that A&E involves multiple sequential waits, not one single queue. You wait to be triaged, then to see a clinician, then for test results, then for a decision. Each stage has its own queue. Knowing this in advance helps set expectations. Our guide on what happens during an A&E visit walks through every stage so you know what comes next.

10. Know who to ask for updates

If you have been waiting for a long time without any communication, it is reasonable to ask for an update. Approach the reception desk or the triage nurse and ask: "Can you tell me roughly where I am in the queue and how long the wait is likely to be?" Staff may not be able to give a precise answer, but they can tell you whether there is a delay, whether the department is dealing with emergencies, or whether your results are still pending. Asking politely and periodically is not a nuisance — it is good communication.

11. Manage expectations for companions

If you have brought someone with you — a partner, parent, friend — brief them on what to expect. Long waits, sequential stages, and occasional re-prioritisation can be frustrating for companions who do not understand the system. A companion who understands the process is more supportive and less likely to create tension with staff. Share our guide on how triage works while you wait so they understand why you may not be seen in arrival order.

12. Stay contactable

If you step away from the waiting area — to use the bathroom, get fresh air, or visit the hospital shop — tell reception so they know where to find you. Keep your phone charged and audible. Some departments use electronic boards or text-message alerts to call patients; others use verbal announcements. If you miss your call and staff cannot find you, you may be moved to the back of the queue within your triage category.

After treatment

13. Ask clear discharge questions

Before you leave, make sure you understand:

• What diagnosis or working diagnosis you have been given
• What medications have been prescribed and how to take them
• What symptoms should prompt a return to A&E or a visit to your GP
• Whether any follow-up appointments have been arranged
• Whether you need a sick note

Getting clear answers at discharge prevents unnecessary return visits, which saves both your time and the department's capacity. Our guide on what happens after A&E discharge covers follow-up care in detail.

14. Understand your rights while waiting

You have the right to pain relief while waiting, to be informed about your triage category, and to speak up if your condition changes. If your symptoms worsen in the waiting room, tell the triage nurse immediately — you will be re-assessed. Our patient rights guide explains what you are entitled to throughout your visit.

The single most impactful step

Choosing the right service for your condition beats every other tip on this page. A&E is built for emergencies; for anything else there is almost certainly a faster route. If in doubt, call 111 before you set off — it costs you five minutes on the phone and can redirect you to a service with a fraction of the wait. And always check live wait times before choosing which department to drive to.