Can I leave A&E without being seen?
Sure. Its not a prison and you can leave at any time.
We know people are waiting for many hours to be seen at A&E nowadays. We are very sorry for this situation. Nonetheless, is it wise to leave?
If you do, you will be asked to sign a ‘self discharge form’ and taken off the A&E computer screen (that confirms you are in the system, and will be seen eventually).
So MyHSN advises you not to leave, stick it out as long as you can. It is often more a hassle to sort things after, e.g. try to get a GP appointment – especially if its a weekend or bank holiday. Do you have someone you could call to make the time go a bit quicker?
If you are well enough to leave, and feel that the risk is low enough then it’s reasonable to leave, but it also suggests that you probably should not have gone there in the first place.
Interestingly more people are now leaving A&E without being seen. In 2024, 5% of people who attended A&E left before being seen, up from 2% in 2019.
Summary
Yes you can I leave A&E without being seen. But it may not be wise. Have a think about it.
