Acute Assessment Unit (AAU)

The Acute Assessment Unit (AAU) provides assessment, diagnostics, treatment, and observation for patients who arrive via an emergency pathway.

On this page

Our aim is to ensure patients receive the right care, at the right time, in the right place, with discharge home whenever possible to avoid unnecessary hospital admissions.

Services we provide

  • GP referrals – We accept direct referrals from GPs, reducing pressure on the emergency department (ED) and improving patient flow.
  • Monitored area – Five individual bays, each with a trolley, for providing best practice care to acutely unwell patients.
  • Assessment bays – Three same-gender bays with five trollies each, allowing assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and referral to a ward within six hours where possible.
  • Assessment rooms – Four individual rooms for further patient evaluations.
  • Ambulatory emergency care (AEC) – Designed for patients who are mobile and dressed, this area includes a waiting area, reclining ‘fit to sit’ chairs, and assessment spaces.

Contact AAU

Phone: 01284 713798

Where to find us

The Acute Assessment Unit is on the ground floor of West Suffolk Hospital.

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