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A&E at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust

Royal Sussex County Hospital A&E: 5 in 10 people were seen within 4 hours in September 2026.

6,610 people attended in September 2026. Everyone is assessed soon after arriving and seen in order of urgency.

Drive there Public transport

For life-threatening medical emergencies, call 999 immediately.

Chest pain, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding, signs of a stroke, a seizure that does not stop, or someone who cannot be woken. Call 999 rather than driving to A&E.

If you call 999 from here

South East Coast Ambulance Service answers most 999 calls in this area. In September 2026 it reached life-threatening calls in 8 minutes on average (target 7) and serious calls such as stroke or chest pain in 33 minutes on average, 9 in 10 within 66 minutes. England: 8 and 31 minutes.

14% of ambulance handovers at hospitals in this service's area took over 30 minutes (England 27%). Figures are for the whole ambulance service, not this hospital alone.

NHS England figures, . Checked for new figures . About the data.

September 2026 at Royal Sussex County Hospital

47% of people were seen, treated and admitted or sent home within 4 hours

6,610 visits in the month. Postcode BN2 5BE. Part of University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust.

NHS England figures, . Checked for new figures . About the data.

Other A&Es within 15 miles

Worthing Hospital

10.7 miles. University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust.

59% within 4 hours

Where should I go?

  • Life-threatening (chest pain, trouble breathing, heavy bleeding, signs of a stroke, a fit that does not stop, someone who cannot be woken): call 999.
  • An injury or illness that cannot wait but is not life-threatening: A&E, or an urgent treatment centre, which is often quicker for cuts, sprains, minor burns and minor breaks.
  • Not sure how urgent it is: 111 online or call 111. They can book you a slot at the right place.
  • Minor (coughs, colds, rashes, aches): a pharmacist can help without an appointment.

Questions people ask

How long is the wait at Royal Sussex County Hospital A&E right now?

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust does not publish a live figure. In September 2026, 47% of the 6,610 people who attended were seen, treated and admitted or sent home within 4 hours.

Is Royal Sussex County Hospital A&E busy?

6,610 people attended in September 2026, about 220 a day. A&E is usually busiest in the late afternoon and evening and quietest in the early morning, and everyone is seen in order of urgency, not arrival.

Where is Royal Sussex County Hospital A&E?

Royal Sussex County Hospital, BN2 5BE, Brighton and Hove. Use the Drive or Public transport button for directions from where you are. In an emergency call 999: an ambulance crew decides the right hospital.

What happens at A&E. A&E waiting times near Brighton and Hove.