Appointments

How to get an appointment

You will need a referral from a health professional for an appointment in our SDEC.

We accept referrals from:

• your GP
• the emergency department (A&E) at St Thomas' Hospital
• another department in our hospital
• the paramedic who is assessing you
• community services

During your appointment

When you arrive our team will assess you.

Our team is made up of nurses and doctors, who are supervised by a consultant who specialises in acute medicine.

You'll be given a named nurse. They will be able to answer any questions, or escalate any concerns you may have.

The aim is for you to:

• be assessed and have any urgent tests you need for your condition
• start any treatment you need to get you home as quickly and safely as possible
• avoid needing to stay overnight

We hope to see you as soon as possible, and we'll always try to keep the amount of time you spend in the unit to a minimum. However, you should expect to spend a few hours in the unit as we will:

• assess you
• carry out any tests you may need
• give you your results
• treat you

We advise you come prepared to spend a number of hours with us. Hot drinks are available. Please check with your named nurse to make sure there are no medical reasons why you must not eat or drink.

Tests

The tests you need will depend on your condition. Most people will have:

• their blood pressure, heart rate, temperature and oxygen levels measured
• an electrocardiogram (ECG), which measures your heart rhythm
• blood tests
• a pee (urine) sample taken

It's likely that a trained nurse will start these tests as part of your assessment before you see a doctor.

You might also need more specific tests, such as:

• X-ray
• CT scan
• ultrasound scan
• another diagnostic or therapeutic procedure

If you need treatment, we will usually start this on the unit. Plans will be made for you to continue the treatment at home, in the community, or in hospital.

After your appointment

Most people can go home the same day after their care is complete in the unit.

We'll tell you the next steps in your treatment before you leave hospital.

You may need to come back to SDEC for more care or you may receive a telephone appointment to review your treatment. We may recommend a future review with your GP, community service or another department in the hospital.