A&E Major Trauma Centre Under 18 years

Stoke-on-Trent A&E Live Waiting Times

Royal Stoke University Hospital

University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust

3.5(1,004 reviews)
Live Updated 11 min ago
3h
estimated wait time
↑ 14 min longer than usual (2 hr 46 min avg)
3 hr
longest today
2 hr 41 min
shortest today
2 hr 46 min
usual wait
Typical wait for non-urgent cases. Patients are seen in order of clinical priority. The most seriously ill are always seen first, no matter how busy the department is.
This data might be old - tap to refresh
26 people
waiting
Call A&E
The wait time shown above does not apply to urgent or life-threatening cases, which are seen first regardless of the queue. Not sure if you need A&E? Visit NHS 111 online or call 111 (free, 24 hours a day). Life-threatening emergency or serious injury? Call 999.
Recent waits & what to expect
Forecast Steady for now
Expected wait over the next few hours
3 hr 15 min

Built from 2,608 readings taken here over the last 28 days, then adjusted to how today is going so far. A guide, not a guarantee.

Typical waits by time of day
Usually quietest around noon - busiest around 1am
Typical waits by day of week
Sunday tends to be quietest, Friday busiest
Nearby A&E & urgent care
Haywood Hospital Walk-in Centre
3.8 mi away
Long wait
Leek MIU
10.9 mi away
Long wait
Leighton Hospital A&E
13.4 mi away
Long wait
County Hospital (Stafford) A&E
14.1 mi away
Long wait
Whitchurch MIU
19.6 mi away
Long wait

There are also other nearby A&Es which collect wait times from the community, including Macclesfield District General Hospital, Wythenshawe Forum and Stepping Hill Hospital.

Contact & location
Newcastle Road, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST4 6QG
Royal Stoke University Hospital A&E in Stoke-on-Trent
Opening times
MondayOpen 24 hours
TuesdayOpen 24 hours
WednesdayOpen 24 hours
ThursdayOpen 24 hours
FridayOpen 24 hours
SaturdayOpen 24 hours
Sunday TodayOpen 24 hours
CQC Rating
requires improvement
Inspected 10 Aug 2023
Getting here
Train stations
Stoke-on-Trent Rail Station28 min walk to A&E
Platform 253 min walk to A&E
Platform 153 min walk to A&E
Bus stops
11 routes·4 operators·5 stops within walking distance
Chapel (adj, south-east)3 min walk to A&E
1Centrebus GroupLongton ↔ Silverdale
1ACentrebus GroupLongton ↔ Wood Lane
22First BusLongton ↔ Newcastle Town Centre
22Centrebus GroupLongton ↔ Newcastle Town Centr
25First BusHanley ↔ Keele
25First Potteries
9First BusOxford ↔ Newcastle Town Centre
9Centrebus GroupBiddulph ↔ Clayton
9First Potteries
GO2Stantons of StokeCheadle Town Centre ↔ Newcastle Town Centr
main entrance link (opp, north-east)3 min walk to A&E
1Centrebus GroupSilverdale ↔ Meir
1ACentrebus GroupWood Lane ↔ Meir
22First BusNewcastle Town Centre ↔ Longton
22Centrebus GroupNewcastle Town Centr ↔ Longton
22First Potteries
25First BusKeele ↔ Hanley
9First BusNewcastle Town Centre ↔ Oxford
9Centrebus GroupClayton ↔ Biddulph
GO2Stantons of StokeNewcastle Town Centr ↔ Cheadle Town Centre
main entrance link (adj, south-west)3 min walk to A&E
1Centrebus GroupLongton ↔ Silverdale
1ACentrebus GroupLongton ↔ Wood Lane
22First BusLongton ↔ Newcastle Town Centre
22Centrebus GroupLongton ↔ Newcastle Town Centr
25First BusHanley ↔ Keele
25First Potteries
9First BusOxford ↔ Newcastle Town Centre
9Centrebus GroupBiddulph ↔ Clayton
9First Potteries
GO2Stantons of StokeCheadle Town Centre ↔ Newcastle Town Centr
Chapel (opp, north-west)3 min walk to A&E
1Centrebus GroupSilverdale ↔ Meir
1ACentrebus GroupWood Lane ↔ Meir
22First BusNewcastle Town Centre ↔ Longton
22Centrebus GroupNewcastle Town Centr ↔ Longton
22First Potteries
25First BusKeele ↔ Hanley
9First BusNewcastle Town Centre ↔ Oxford
9Centrebus GroupClayton ↔ Biddulph
GO2Stantons of StokeNewcastle Town Centr ↔ Cheadle Town Centre
Hospital gates (adj, northbound)3 min walk to A&E
22First BusLongton ↔ Newcastle Town Centre
22Centrebus GroupLongton ↔ Newcastle Town Centr
9First BusOxford ↔ Newcastle Town Centre
9Centrebus GroupBiddulph ↔ Clayton
9First Potteries
GO2Stantons of StokeCheadle Town Centre ↔ Newcastle Town Centr
Plan journey by public transport
Stoke-on-Trent A&E wait times - last 24 hours
Hour Avg. wait People waiting
Today, 12 PM
avg. of 3 readings
 3 hr 28
Today, 11 AM
avg. of 4 readings
 2 hr 58 min 29
Today, 10 AM
avg. of 4 readings
 2 hr 55 min 28
Today, 9 AM
avg. of 4 readings
 3 hr 30
Today, 8 AM
avg. of 4 readings
 3 hr 48
Today, 7 AM
avg. of 4 readings
 3 hr 62
Today, 6 AM
avg. of 4 readings
 3 hr 61
Today, 5 AM
avg. of 4 readings
 3 hr 60
Today, 4 AM
avg. of 4 readings
 3 hr 58
Today, 3 AM
avg. of 4 readings
 3 hr 54
Today, 2 AM
avg. of 4 readings
 3 hr 59
Today, 1 AM
avg. of 4 readings
 3 hr 53
Today, 12 AM
avg. of 4 readings
 3 hr 55
Yesterday, 11 PM
avg. of 4 readings
 3 hr 48
Yesterday, 10 PM
avg. of 4 readings
 3 hr 45
Yesterday, 9 PM
avg. of 4 readings
 3 hr 45
Yesterday, 8 PM
avg. of 4 readings
 3 hr 41
Yesterday, 7 PM
avg. of 4 readings
 3 hr 42
Yesterday, 6 PM
avg. of 4 readings
 3 hr 42
Yesterday, 5 PM
avg. of 4 readings
 3 hr 36
Yesterday, 4 PM
avg. of 4 readings
 3 hr 30
Yesterday, 3 PM
avg. of 4 readings
 3 hr 27
Yesterday, 2 PM
avg. of 4 readings
 3 hr 33
Yesterday, 1 PM
avg. of 4 readings
 2 hr 57 min 27
Departments & services
  • Accident and emergency (A&E)
  • Allergy services in hospital
  • Breast cancer services
  • Breast Surgery
  • Cardiac services (community)
  • Cardiology
  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
  • Colorectal cancer services
  • Dementia Services
  • Dermatology
  • Diagnostic Physiological Measurement
  • Emergency Abdominal Surgery
  • Endocrine and thyroid surgery
  • Endocrinology and Metabolic Medicine
  • Geriatric Medicine
  • Gynaecology
  • Haematology
  • Immunology
  • Inpatient Diabetes
  • Intensive Care
  • Lung cancer services
  • Major trauma
  • Maternity services
  • Neonatal Care
  • Neurosurgery
  • Obstetrics And Gynaecology
  • Oesophago-Gastric cancer surgery
  • Ophthalmology
  • Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
  • Orthopaedics
  • Paediatric intensive care
  • Paediatric Surgery
  • Plastic surgery
  • Prostate Cancer Service
  • Stroke
  • Urology
  • Vascular surgery
What’s available here
Accessibility
Disabled ParkingDisabled WcInduction LoopWheelchair Access
Accommodation
Access To TvInternet AccessPublic TelephoneSingle Sex Accommodation Only
Parking
Car ParkingCycle ParkingDisabled Parking
Bringing Children to Royal Stoke University Hospital
Baby Changing Facility
Counselling and Support
Bereavement SupportTranslation Services
Faith Services
On-Site ChapelPrayer Area
Food and Amenities On-site
CafePharmacyShop
Recent visitor feedbackreported by visitors
Overall
65% would not recommend this department
Staff
72% say staff were friendly and helpful
88% were not kept informed about their wait
56% say triage was slow
Environment
56% say the waiting area was clean
60% say the toilets were clean
58% felt safe in the waiting area
Family
86% say there is no children’s play area
66% say there is a separate children’s waiting area
Facilities
61% say there is not enough seating
81% say there is no TV
92% say food and drink is available nearby
51% say there are no phone charging points
85% say free WiFi is available
57% say mobile signal is good
Parking
57% say parking was busy
Payment accepted: card, app, cash
Based on 39 visitor responses in the last 6 months. This information is collected through a short anonymous survey shown to visitors on this page.
Visitor experiencesshared by visitors

“Despite the wait time showing 3h, it is much more than that. Today the waiting room is full, some people have to stand, not enough seating and honestly not enough doctors.”

Adam · 1 month ago

“Shocking arrived 10pm still not seen anyone it’s now 6:26am says 2/3hr wait”

Anonymous · 2 months ago

About Royal Stoke University Hospital

Royal Stoke University Hospital runs a 24-hour accident and emergency department, open to under 18 years, on Newcastle Road in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, part of University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust. It is also a designated Major Trauma Centre - the tier of hospital equipped for life-threatening injuries and complex emergency surgery, which is why ambulances will sometimes drive past closer A&Es to bring the most severely injured patients here. The wider site runs 37 listed departments and services, from Allergy services in hospital to Vascular surgery.

The Care Quality Commission rates it Requires Improvement, last inspected in August 2023. Over the past 28 days, waits here have typically been shortest around noon and longest around 1am. The site lists 4,021 parking spaces, 215 of them designated disabled bays, with patient parking averaging £1.40 an hour. In our visitor surveys, 72% found staff friendly and helpful. Visitors also report that children get a separate waiting area.

Official NHS performance

45.3%seen within 4 hours
15,160attendances in September 2026
60.4%England average for major A&Es

NHS England publishes these figures for University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust as a whole, covering every A&E the trust runs rather than this site alone. That is below the England average of 60.4% for major A&E departments over the same month.

In the NHS Friends and Family Test for August 2026, 72% of 796 patients who responded at this site reported a positive experience. The trust's general and acute wards averaged 93.1% overnight bed occupancy in the quarter to March 2026 - full wards are the main reason admitted patients queue in A&E.

Attendances by year

NHS yearA&E attendancesMonthly averageWithin 4 hours12hr+ waits to admit
2023-24157,74213,14548.5%10,104
2024-25161,57813,46548.1%11,081
2025-26174,14914,51247.4%11,069
2026-27 (6 months)92,69715,45048.6%4,607

Between 2023-24 and 2025-26, monthly A&E attendances rose 10% and the share seen within four hours fell by 1.1 percentage points.

Frequently asked questions

How do I check the current A&E wait time at Royal Stoke University Hospital?

The live waiting time for the A&E at Royal Stoke University Hospital is shown at the top of this page, together with when it was last updated.

When is the A&E at Royal Stoke University Hospital quietest?

Based on the last 28 days of readings at Royal Stoke University Hospital, waits are usually lowest around noon and highest around 1am. The typical-day chart on this page shows the full hour-by-hour pattern, and our guide to the best time to visit covers UK-wide patterns.

How long will I wait at Royal Stoke University Hospital A&E?

Patients are triaged on arrival and the most urgent cases are always seen first, so your wait depends on how serious your condition is and how busy the department is. Hospitals in England work to the NHS four-hour standard - the aim is to admit, transfer or discharge patients within four hours of arrival. The live figure on this page shows how Royal Stoke University Hospital is doing right now. NHS England's most recent figures (September 2026) show 45.3% of patients across the trust's A&E departments were seen within four hours.

How often are the waiting times on this page updated?

Figures refresh every 15 minutes, and the last-updated time near the top of the page shows exactly when the newest reading was taken. Waiting times can change quickly, so treat any figure as a guide rather than a guarantee.

Is the A&E at Royal Stoke University Hospital open 24 hours?

Yes - the A&E at Royal Stoke University Hospital is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. In a life-threatening emergency always call 999.

Where is Royal Stoke University Hospital and how do I get there?

Royal Stoke University Hospital is at Newcastle Road, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST4 6QG. For general enquiries call 01782 715444. Enter your postcode in the Getting here section for a door-to-door route.

Is parking free at Royal Stoke University Hospital?

No - patient and visitor parking here averages about £1.40 an hour (NHS estates return, 2024-25). The site lists 4,021 parking spaces, including 215 designated disabled bays. Concessions often apply for blue badge holders, frequent attenders and some patients - check the hospital's own parking page.

What is the CQC rating for Royal Stoke University Hospital?

Royal Stoke University Hospital is rated Requires Improvement overall by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the independent regulator of health and social care in England, following an inspection in August 2023. You can read the full CQC report.

Can children be treated at Royal Stoke University Hospital A&E?

This A&E serves: Under 18 years. If your child's age group is not treated here, the nearby section on this page lists alternatives - or call NHS 111 for urgent advice and 999 in an emergency.

Is Royal Stoke University Hospital a Major Trauma Centre?

Yes - Royal Stoke University Hospital is a designated Major Trauma Centre, equipped for the most serious emergencies including major injuries and complex surgery. The most severely injured patients in the region are taken here, sometimes bypassing closer hospitals.
Where this data comes from
Wait times shown here are sourced from publicly available information published by University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust. Our system automatically checks the trust’s published waiting-times page every 15 minutes and records the displayed waiting time. Data was last checked at 12:42pm on 25 Oct 2026. A full list of every source we use, and when each was last checked, is on our data sources page.

This site is independent and has no affiliation with, or endorsement by, any NHS trust or hospital. Department labels shown (e.g. A&E, MIU, UTC) are our interpretation of the source data and may not match the hospital’s own terminology. Wait times change frequently and may not reflect the current situation, so always contact the hospital directly for the most up-to-date information. If any information is incorrect, please let us know.

Directions