Our A&E is very busy. Please only attend in an emergency. Non-emergent cases can face significant waiting times to be seen and treated. 

If you’re unsure, visit http://111.nhs.uk to find the right service and advice for your health needs.  

You can also visit an Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) for minor injuries or see a pharmacist, depending on your medical need. 

To find your closest UTC, click here.

To find your local pharmacy, click here.

Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust’s Emergency Department (ED) also known as Accident and Emergency (A&E). The Department is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for anyone who needs urgent and emergency hospital care because of an illness or accident.

For visiting / accompanying guidance please view our visiting webpage HERE.

Attending A&E

  • Patients attending our Emergency Department can be accompanied by a maximum of one person/carer if they choose to
  • Regretfully, we are unable to accommodate the accompanying person in our Urgent Treatment Centre due to space limitations in the waiting area and the nature of the department.

Paediatric A&E

  • Children who are acutely unwell, in Resus, or have complex medical needs will be able to be accompanied by both parents/guardians, once admitted into a cubicle or Resus room.
  • Where the parent/guardian requires emotional support or support with difficult decisions about the care of the child, both parents can be present whilst in the cubicle.
  • If the child is admitted to hospital, we are pleased to be able to facilitate both parents/guardians being present throughout the daytime and for your child’s Drs round. We ask that only 1 parent/guardian stays overnight.
  • Due to space limitations within our waiting areas, we are only able to facilitate 1 parent/guardian accompanying the child. Parents/guardians can swap over whilst in the waiting areas to provide respite.
  • We do rotate our cubicles and treatment areas, and in circumstances where the child is well but awaiting results, we may ask you to return to the waiting area from your cubicle. If both parents/guardians are present, only 1 person can remain with the child in the waiting area.