Emergency Ambulatory Care (EAU) provides same day care to patients via assessment, diagnosis and treatment with the aim of getting patients home the same day, without having to be admitted to hospital overnight.
The Unit is purpose built equipped with a range of recliner chairs, examination trollies/cubicles and procedure rooms. The Unit is open 7.30 am until 19.30 pm 7 days a week.
How does the Emergency Ambulatory Care Unit work?
1. Before you arrive
You may have been referred to the Emergency Ambulatory Care Unit by your GP, Emergency Department, Discharging Ward, Ambulance or some other route.
Please be aware that Emergency Ambulatory Care runs on a first come first served policy we do not allocate set appointment times
2. Arrive at EAU
You will be greeted by a member of the Nursing team who will introduce themselves and give you an indication of how long you will be with us on the Unit.
Patients attending EAU will be required to wait in a seated waiting area and must be self-caring for activities of daily living (or be accompanied by someone who can support with this).
3. Initial Assessment
A Senior Nurse, Doctor or Acute Nurse Consultant will undertake a initial assessment, this will be to discuss your symptoms and obtain a history of your illness.
4.Investigations
As part of your assessment investigations such as xrays, blood tests and scans may be ordered prior to a plan of treatment being discussed with the Doctor.
Please be aware that this may take time to process, staff will keep you updated you may be offered to use our new buzzer system to allow you to go off and have a drink while you wait.
5. Next steps
Once your care in EAU is complete you can go home. The staff will inform you of the next steps of your treatment plan before you leave, which may include returning to the Unit for further treatment or review.
If you have any questions or concerns after you have left the Unit please call us to discuss during opening times if not please contact your GP.
Our services
The pathways currently in place within Emergency Ambulatory Care are:
- Asthma
- Anaemia
- Bronchiectasis
- COPD
- Community Acquired Pneumonia
- Cellulitis
- Chest Pain
- DVT
- First Seizure
- Headache
- Low Risk Upper GI Bleed
- Lower Respiratory Tract Infection
- New Onset Diabetes
- Painless obstructive Jaundice
- Pleural Effusion
- PE (Pulmonary Embolus)
In addition to the Urgent Care pathways listed above, the Ambulatory Care Unit at Canterbury provides a large booked elective servicefor patients attending for blood transfusions and various planned infusions. We also provide procedures such as lumbar punctures, Ascetic drains and CT guided biopsies.
The Margate and Canterbury units also provide Tilt table studies for patients who suffer from syncope and blackouts.