Emergency Multidisciplinary Units (EMU)
What we do
The aim of the Emergency Multidisciplinary Units is to provide assessment and treatment for adults with sub-acute care needs as close to patients’ homes as possible. Providing medical, nursing and therapist assessments and treatments, the units are designed to offer patients a faster and more convenient alternative to admission to an acute hospital.
Our teams deliver a comprehensive assessment, acute medical diagnosis and treatment plan with ongoing care to support patients and carers during episodes of illness without acute hospital admission.
Located within a community hospital site, the emergency multidisciplinary unit will rapidly assess any patient, following contact with a healthcare provider (for instance, a GP, community nurse or ambulance paramedic) who feels that further assessment is needed.
EMUs do not assess patients with suspected heart attacks, strokes, head injuries or those who may require surgical intervention. These will need to be seen at the A&E or as a direct referral to the surgical teams.
Please note: this unit only treats patients following a referral from a GP or other healthcare professional.
Useful information
Our teams consist of registered nurses, paramedics, health care assistants, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and social workers. The medical teams consist of elderly care physicians and general practitioners.
Access to diagnostics
The key enablers for the rapid assessment and treatment are point of care diagnostics for blood tests, ECGs and basic x-ray imaging.
Community step-up beds
A pool of beds is available for or short-term use (less than 72 hours) for patients who are not suitable for ambulatory care.
Hospital at Home
EMU works closely with the Hospital at Home team who can provide support to EMU patients by delivering therapeutic interventions or monitoring and reassessment of conditions in patients’ homes.
There are two EMUs based at Abingdon and Witney Community hospitals:
Abingdon Community Hospital
Marcham Road
Abingdon
Oxfordshire
OX14 1AG
Phone: 01865 904 686
Opening hours: 8am-8pm Monday – Friday and 10 – 4pm at weekends
Witney Community Hospital
Welch Way
Witney
Oxfordshire
OX28 6JJ
Phone: 01865 903 378
Opening hours: 9am-8pm Monday-Friday and 10am-4pm on Saturday.
Patient information leaflet
If you are a patient or carer of someone being treated at the EMU, you can download an information leaflet here.
Page last reviewed: 16 September, 2021