Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital

It is England’s first purpose-built specialist emergency care hospital, with emergency consultants on site 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as well as consultants in a range of specialties working seven days a week.

The hospital treats serious emergencies such as:

• Suspected stroke
• Loss of consciousness
• Persistent and severe chest pain
• Sudden shortness of breath
• Severe abdominal pain
• Severe blood loss

The Northumbria hospital also has a birthing centre with midwifery and consultant-led care. It has en-suite delivery rooms, two birthing pools and en-suite bedrooms where partners are able to stay overnight.

Some planned surgery which is considered to be high-risk is also carried out at the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital as patients will be surrounded by relevant experts and support services such as critical care which may be needed in an emergency.

The Northumbria hospital has:

• A state-of-the art emergency department with individual treatment rooms
• Diagnostics including x-ray, MRI, ultrasound and CT scanners, endoscopy room and cardiac catheter lab – all located close to the emergency department for quick test results, enabling treatment to start earlier
• A critical care unit
• Beds for emergency admissions across seven specialty wards – surgery, trauma, cardiology, respiratory, stroke, gastrointestinal and an acute medical unit
• A short-stay paediatric unit with paediatric ambulatory care
• Ambulatory care for the rapid assessment of patients with specific conditions, without the need for emergency admission
• A co-located consultant and midwifery-led birthing centre, with single en-suite rooms which allows partners to stay overnight. It will also have a special care baby unit for those babies needing extra help
• Operating theatres for emergency/high risk surgery including a dedicated maternity theatre

You can find options for travelling to Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital in our travel leaflet here.

By car

Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital is accessible from the A189 at East Cramlington, to the north of the Moor Farm roundabout. It is signposted from the northbound and southbound slip roads closest to the hospital.

If you are travelling by car, we have produced videos to help direct you to the hospital:

• If you are travelling from the A1 southbound please click here.
• If you are travelling from the A1 northbound please click here.
• If you are travelling from the A189 northbound please click here.
• If you are travelling from the A189 southbound please click here

Dedicated car service

If you are a relative visiting from Hexham or Berwick, we have a dedicated free daily car service to and from The Northumbria hospital which arrives for visiting times. This can be booked by calling our switchboard on 0344 811 8111 and asking for Hexham or Berwick main receptions.

By public transport

For up to date bus information, please use the Traveline service

Charges

Parking is available and costs £1 per visit for a 24 hours period from the time the ticket is issued. The first 20 minutes of parking is free so if you take a ticket and exit the car park within 20 minutes, there will be no charge.

Please take a ticket to raise the barrier to gain entry to the car park. You will then use this ticket to pay at a pay station before leaving. The payment machines take coins and notes, as well as credit and debit cards.

Please leave plenty of time to find a space.

There are free lay-bys for pick-ups or drops offs (maximum stay 20 minutes).

Disabled parking

There are a number of designated free parking bays reserved for disabled drivers displaying a valid blue badge permit

Concessionary car parking

We offer free car parking under certain circumstances for patients or their visitors. This includes those patients attending regularly over an extended period, visitors of long-stay patients and those who are staying in the hospital with patients (for example parents with children). This list is not exhaustive and exemptions are issued by the ward or department manager – please speak to them if you think you may qualify.

Electric vehicle charging

This hospital has an electric vehicle charging point which is free to use for patients and visitors.

Car parking violations

Please note that failure to park in a designated bay or failure to pay for parking may result in you being issued with a civil penalty or infringement notice.

Cafés and restaurants

The hospital has a coffee shop at the main entrance run by our Hospital Volunteer Service (HVS). There is also a restaurant on the ground on the floor where you get hot and cold food.

Opening times are as follows:

Restaurant (7 days a week)

• 7am – 11.15am – breakfast
• 11.30am – 2.30pm – lunch
• 2.30pm – 4.30pm – afternoon snack service
• 4.30pm – 7.30pm – evening service
• 7.30pm – 7am – limited evening service

Main entrance cafe/shop

• 8.30am – 7pm Monday to Friday
• 1pm-7pm Saturday and Sunday

Wi-Fi

Free Wi-Fi is available in this hospital – just choose NHS Wi-Fi on your smart device and follow the registration process to gain access.

Download our internal map here: Map Download