When to Go to A&E: Common Myths and What Guidelines Say
When to Go to A&E: what people commonly get wrong, set against what published UK guidance says.
Most people who go could have been treated faster somewhere else, and the ones who could not are waiting behind them.
Key takeaways
- What it is for: chest pain, breathing difficulty, heavy bleeding, loss of consciousness, severe injury
- Order of treatment: by clinical need, not by arrival time
- Most useful single change: Call 999 rather than travelling yourself if someone may be having a heart attack or stroke.
- Commonest mistake: Going for repeat prescriptions, sick notes or long-standing problems.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.
What the guidance actually says
The numbers first, since the corrections only mean something against them.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| What it is for | chest pain, breathing difficulty, heavy bleeding, loss of consciousness, severe injury |
| Order of treatment | by clinical need, not by arrival time |
| Alternatives | NHS 111, urgent treatment centres, pharmacies, GP practices |
| Cost | free at the point of use |
Where people go wrong
What people tend to think, set against what is actually published.
- Going for repeat prescriptions, sick notes or long-standing problems
- Driving yourself if you feel faint or have chest pain
- Eating or drinking before you have been assessed, in case you need surgery
What to do instead
- Call 999 rather than travelling yourself if someone may be having a heart attack or stroke
- Try 111 first when it is urgent but not life-threatening, and let them direct you
- Take a list of your medicines, or the boxes themselves
- Say clearly at reception what the worst symptom is, not the whole history
The part that is genuinely uncertain
Guidance changes, and it changes because evidence does. The figures above reflect current UK guidance from the bodies named at the foot of this page; where those bodies revise their position, theirs is the account to follow rather than this one.
Where to go next
- Answers to the Common Questions on When to Go to A&E
- When to Go to A&E in Five Minutes
- When to Go to A&E — the reference entry
- Using NHS 111: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise
- Having an MRI Scan: What Published Guidance Supports
When to speak to a doctor
Call 999 immediately for chest pain or tightness, sudden weakness or drooping on one side, difficulty speaking, severe breathlessness, heavy bleeding that will not stop, or someone who is unresponsive. Do not wait to see whether it passes.
Where this comes from
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarised or generalised beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to a GP, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 999.
Spotted something wrong? Report an error on this page. We correct on the page and say what changed.
