The Acute Medical Unit (AMU) is a 54-bed unit located on the 1st Floor of the Tower at University College Hospital.
Its primary role is to provide rapid definitive assessment, investigation and treatment for patients admitted urgently or as an emergency from the Emergency Department, and/or referred by their GP.
The AMU operates in close association with both the Emergency Department and the Operations Centre, and admits patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Patients stay on the AMU for up to 48 hours, during which time a management plan will have been instigated by the consultant-led acute care medical team. A specialist care of the elderly team look after elderly patients with acute illness requiring admission to hospital for a few days.
Following treatment on the AMU, patients may be well enough to be discharged back into the community; or if requiring further inpatient specialist care, are transferred to the care of an appropriate specialty team at the hospital, or in one of UCLH's other specialist hospitals.
Patient contact
Service management
Hannah Kerby
Other contact information
Email: uclh.acute.admin@nhs.net
Address
Acute Medical Unit (AMU)
University College Hospital
Acute Medical Unit
Ward T1
235 Euston Road
London, NW1 2BU
GP contact
Referral
Other referral information
Telephone: ext 70100
Access to patient results:
Please contact AMU Reception
Acute Medical Unit, 1st Floor
University College Hospital
235 Euston Road
London NW1 2BU
Tertiary referrals:
We offer general medicine clinics each Tuesday, which provide rapid access for outpatients to see consultants. These clinics are for patients who are referred by GPs and for follow-up for patients who have been discharged from the AMU. We also see general medical and diagnostic problems in these clinics.
Referring acutely unwell patients to AMU:
For patients requiring admission, please contact the duty medical registrar via UCH switchboard.
This service operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Referral address
Acute Medical Unit, 1st Floor
University College Hospital
235 Euston Road
London NW1 2BU
The unit sees patients presenting with a range of acute medical problems, but common problems treated include:
- heart problems
- asthma, chest infection and other respiratory conditions
- gastrointestinal bleeding
- drug and alcohol problems
- acute illness in the elderly.
If a patient needs to be admitted to hospital, his/her care will be taken over by one of the inpatient specialty teams at UCLH.
Following discharge home, a discharge summary is sent to the patient’s GP, giving details of investigations and treatment on the unit, with details of medication on discharge, and any recommendations for aftercare.
