We run two SDEC units. One in South Tyneside and one in Sunderland.
This service is there to provide urgent care to patients on the same day. People who come to SDEC will usually go home on the same day. Sometimes we might need to admit them to hospital.
Where can I find SDEC?
At Sunderland Royal Hospital, SDEC is on C Floor. You can reach it through the main entrance on Kayll Road.
Follow the signs from the main corridor to get to the ward.
At South Tyneside District Hospital, SDEC is near to ED. You can reach it through the main outpatients entrance.
Follow the signs from the main corridor to get to the ward.
Patients who we treat in our SDEC units can arrive in different ways:
- Most people come to SDEC straight from the Emergency Department (ED).
- Patients can also come straight to SDEC from the ambulance.
- We also see patients if their GP has sent them.
Most patients will go home after treatment on SDEC. You may need to stay for a few hours while we observe and treat your condition. After that we will make sure it is safe for you to go home.
When patients come to SDEC, we will do rapid diagnostics tests to find out what is wrong. We make sure you see the right specialist and we will let you know what the treatment plan is for your condition.
Some of the common things we treat are:
- suspected blood clots in limbs or lungs (DVT or PE)
- skin infections that have a risk of cellulitis
- shortness of breath
- headaches
- heart palpitations
- kidney infections (UTIs)
- high blood pressure (hypertension).
No. Most patients will go home after treatment on SDEC. You may need to stay for a few hours while we observe and treat your condition. After that we will make sure it is safe for you to go home.
Our SDEC units are right next to our Emergency Departments (EDs). We have an SDEC unit on both main hospital sites.
Our senior team in SDEC
-
Clinical Director - Dr Carina Dowson
-
Lead Matron - Ruth Linney
- Divisional Director - Sheena Fish
- Directorate Manager - Lisa Ball
