Emergency department waiting rooms are notoriously uncomfortable places. The prolonged and unclear waiting times mixed with the chaotic environment create a high pressure and stressful experience.

While people are waiting - often in pain - they generally don’t have any visibility of their place in the queue, exacerbating their emotional and physical discomforts.

We’ve been working closely with everyone involved in the experience of waiting in the Emergency department - the patients, carers, nurses, doctors, reception and security staff - to determine how to make these uncomfortable experiences more manageable for everyone. 

We are co-designing and testing systems that will help patients understand the department’s processes to help give them a sense of where they fit in.  We are also looking at ways of improving basic comfort during the wait. Our aim is to create an environment that promotes clarity, communication, comfort and inclusivity.