Changes to visiting in our Emergency Departments (ED)

Due to limited space within our Emergency Departments at present, from Monday 30 March 2026 we are temporarily introducing revised visiting arrangements for adult patients to maintain the safety, dignity, and wellbeing of our patients, visitors, and staff.

One visitor at a time

Adult patients in our Emergency Departments at Princess Royal University Hospital and King’s College Hospital may be accompanied by one person (visitor) at a time. Visitors may swap, but only one person may be present with the patient at any one time.

These arrangements will be applied flexibly and in real time, depending on:

• the patient’s individual needs
• clinical circumstances
• the level of occupancy in the department during that period

Where capacity allows, the nurse in charge may permit more than one visitor.

Exceptions

These new arrangements do not apply to our Children’s Emergency Departments at the Princess Royal University Hospital and King’s College Hospital.

Additional visitors or exceptions to the one visitor rule may also be made for patients with children, or those who are critically ill, in need of a carer, or who have complex needs or a learning disability. If you feel an exception is needed, please speak to the nurse in charge.

We understand how important visitors are for patients and are sorry for any distress this may cause.

Please treat all staff with respect. Thank you for your support.

We will review these arrangements on a regular basis.

---

About us

Our emergency and urgent care services are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including bank (public) holidays.

They are located at Princess Royal University Hospital.

We only treat conditions that need to be seen urgently. For health information or advice about what to do next, you can:

• contact your GP
• contact a pharmacist
• visit www.nhs.uk
• visit NHS 111 online
• call NHS 111

If you need an ambulance, call 999.

When you arrive

When you arrive you will be assessed (triaged) to decide the best place to treat you. You will then be directed to:

• the Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC)
• or the Emergency Department (ED)

Emergency Department opt-out HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C testing

Everyone aged 18 and older who has their blood tested in a London emergency department now has it tested for HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. It’s important to get diagnosed early, as treatment is life-saving and free from the NHS. Your results are confidential. If you do not wish to be tested, please let a member of staff know. If your test comes back positive, we will contact you and explain what happens next.

Contact

Emergency Department and Urgent Treatment Centre are located on:

Ground floor, North Wing, Princess Royal University Hospital

Urgent Treatment Centre

Tel: 01689 863050

Emergency Department

Tel: 01689 863486