Accident and Emergency Medicine is the specialty responsible for assessing the immediate needs of acutely ill and injured people. Urgent treatment is provided where necessary; if required, the patient’s admission to an appropriate hospital bed is organised. Every part of the UK has nominated key hospitals with the appropriately trained staff and necessary facilities to deal with acutely ill or injured patients. It is well-recognised that prompt treatment in the first hour or so after an accident or after the onset of an acute illness — the so-called ‘golden hour’ — can make the difference between the patient’s recovery and serious disability or death.