A&E Trauma Unit

University Hospital Lewisham (London) A&E Waiting Times

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust

Latest report
2 hr
05 Oct 12:56
Average
9 hr 30 min
6 reports
Reported by visitors, not the hospital. Waits shown here are typical for non-urgent cases. Patients are seen in order of clinical priority, so the most seriously ill are always seen first no matter how busy the department is.
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0 minutes total
Community reported wait times

These times are reported by visitors and may not reflect current conditions.

Nearby A&E & urgent care
Princess Alexandra Hospital Same Day Emergency Care A&E
22.5 mi away
Long wait
Princess Alexandra Hospital Children's A&E
22.5 mi away
Long wait
Princess Alexandra Hospital A&E
22.5 mi away
Long wait
Sittingbourne MIU
33.5 mi away
Long wait
Sheppey MIU
35.0 mi away
Long wait

There are also other nearby A&Es which collect wait times from the community, including Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's College Hospital and Royal London Hospital.

Contact & location
Lewisham High Street, London, SE13 6LH
Opening times
Monday TodayOpen 24 hours
TuesdayOpen 24 hours
WednesdayOpen 24 hours
ThursdayOpen 24 hours
FridayOpen 24 hours
SaturdayOpen 24 hours
SundayOpen 24 hours
Getting here
Train stations
Ladywell5 min walk to A&E
Catford Bridge14 min walk to A&E
Catford15 min walk to A&E
Crofton Park Station15 min walk to A&E
Hither Green16 min walk to A&E
Metro / tram
Lewisham DLR Station17 min walk to A&E
Elverson Road DLR Station23 min walk to A&E
Deptford Bridge DLR Station30 min walk to A&E
Greenwich DLR Station35 min walk to A&E
Cutty Sark (for Maritime Greenwich) DLR Station41 min walk to A&E
Bus stops
9 routes·2 operators·5 stops within walking distance
Lewisham Hospital (Stop HH, northbound)2 min walk to A&E
136StagecoachGrove Park ↔ Elephant & Castle
185Go-AheadVictoria ↔ Lewisham
199StagecoachBellingham ↔ Canada Water
208StagecoachDerry Downs ↔ Lewisham
47StagecoachBellingham ↔ Shoreditch
54StagecoachElmers End ↔ Woolwich
75StagecoachCroydon ↔ Lewisham
N136Go-AheadChislehurst ↔ Soho
N199StagecoachSt Mary Cray ↔ Charing Cross
Lewisham Hospital (Stop HR, southbound)2 min walk to A&E
136StagecoachElephant & Castle ↔ Grove Park
185Go-AheadLewisham ↔ Victoria
199StagecoachCanada Water ↔ Bellingham
208StagecoachLewisham ↔ Derry Downs
47StagecoachShoreditch ↔ Bellingham
54StagecoachWoolwich ↔ Elmers End
75StagecoachLewisham ↔ Croydon
N136Go-AheadOxford Circus ↔ Chislehurst
N199StagecoachCharing Cross ↔ St Mary Cray
Mount Pleasant Road / Lewisham (Stop HF, northbound)2 min walk to A&E
136StagecoachGrove Park ↔ Elephant & Castle
185Go-AheadVictoria ↔ Lewisham
199StagecoachBellingham ↔ Canada Water
208StagecoachDerry Downs ↔ Lewisham
47StagecoachBellingham ↔ Shoreditch
54StagecoachElmers End ↔ Woolwich
75StagecoachCroydon ↔ Lewisham
N136Go-AheadChislehurst ↔ Soho
N199StagecoachSt Mary Cray ↔ Charing Cross
Lewisham Park (Stop HP, southbound)3 min walk to A&E
136StagecoachElephant & Castle ↔ Grove Park
185Go-AheadLewisham ↔ Victoria
199StagecoachCanada Water ↔ Bellingham
208StagecoachLewisham ↔ Derry Downs
47StagecoachShoreditch ↔ Bellingham
54StagecoachWoolwich ↔ Elmers End
75StagecoachLewisham ↔ Croydon
N136Go-AheadOxford Circus ↔ Chislehurst
N199StagecoachCharing Cross ↔ St Mary Cray
Lewisham Park (Stop HJ, northbound)3 min walk to A&E
136StagecoachGrove Park ↔ Elephant & Castle
185Go-AheadVictoria ↔ Lewisham
199StagecoachBellingham ↔ Canada Water
208StagecoachDerry Downs ↔ Lewisham
47StagecoachBellingham ↔ Shoreditch
54StagecoachElmers End ↔ Woolwich
75StagecoachCroydon ↔ Lewisham
N136Go-AheadChislehurst ↔ Soho
N199StagecoachSt Mary Cray ↔ Charing Cross
Plan journey by public transport
What’s available here
Accessibility
Braille Translation ServiceDisabled ParkingDisabled WcInduction LoopSigning Service AvailableWheelchair Access
Accommodation
Access To TvFamily AccommodationInternet AccessMobile Phones PermittedPublic TelephoneSingle Sex Accommodation Only
Parking
Car ParkingCycle ParkingDisabled Parking
Children
Baby Changing FacilityChildren's Play Area
Counselling and Support
Bereavement SupportTranslation Services
Faith Services
On-Site ChapelPrayer Area
Food and Amenities
CafePharmacyShop
Recent visitor feedbackreported by visitors
Overall
Not recommended by visitors
Staff
Staff are friendly and helpful
Not always kept informed about wait times
Triage can be slow
Environment
Waiting area is clean
Toilets could be cleaner
Waiting area feels safe
Family
No children’s play area
Separate children’s waiting area
Facilities
Enough seating in the waiting area
No TV in the waiting area
Food and drink available nearby
Phone charging points available
No free WiFi
Mobile signal is good
Parking
Parking often requires parking elsewhere
Based on 2 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

“Been here since 9.30pm last night still waiting currently 9:25am the following morning”

S S · 3 weeks ago

About University Hospital Lewisham

University Hospital Lewisham runs a 24-hour accident and emergency department, open to all ages, on Lewisham High Street in London, Greater London, part of Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust. It is a designated Trauma Unit, equipped to treat significant injuries and to stabilise the most serious cases before transfer to a regional Major Trauma Centre. The wider site runs 47 listed departments and services, from Allergy services in hospital to Stroke.

The Care Quality Commission rates it Requires Improvement, last inspected in August 2023. It rated the hospital's urgent and emergency services Good when they were last inspected in January 2019. The site lists 281 parking spaces, 29 of them designated disabled bays, with patient parking averaging £1.30 an hour.

Official NHS performance

44.1%seen within 4 hours
16,492attendances in September 2026
60.4%England average for major A&Es

NHS England publishes these figures for Lewisham and Greenwich 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, 76% of 639 patients who responded at this site reported a positive experience. The trust's general and acute wards averaged 94.3% 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
2023-24158,51713,21045.6%6,895
2024-25168,92414,07748.5%8,031
2025-26190,38515,86550.6%7,978
2026-27 (6 months)97,87916,31348.2%3,620

Frequently asked questions

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

The live waiting time for the A&E at University Hospital Lewisham is shown at the top of this page, together with when it was last updated. Times are reported by recent visitors and carry a community badge - after your own visit you can submit your wait time in a few seconds to help the next person.

When is the A&E at University Hospital Lewisham quietest?

Patterns vary by hospital, but across UK urgent and emergency care the quietest window is usually the early morning, roughly 4am to 7am, with demand building through the afternoon and peaking in the evening. Friday and Saturday nights and Monday mornings are typically the busiest periods. See our guide to the best time to visit for more detail.

How long will I wait at University Hospital Lewisham 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 University Hospital Lewisham is doing right now. NHS England's most recent figures (September 2026) show 44.1% of patients across the trust's A&E departments were seen within four hours.

How often are the waiting times on this page updated?

This page updates whenever a visitor submits a new wait time, so freshness depends on recent reports - each entry shows when that person visited. If you have been to University Hospital Lewisham recently, submitting your wait takes a few seconds and helps others plan.

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

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

Where is University Hospital Lewisham and how do I get there?

University Hospital Lewisham is at Lewisham High Street, London, SE13 6LH. For general enquiries call 020 8333 3000. Enter your postcode in the Getting here section for a door-to-door route.

Is parking free at University Hospital Lewisham?

No - patient and visitor parking here averages about £1.30 an hour (NHS estates return, 2024-25). The site lists 281 parking spaces, including 29 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 University Hospital Lewisham?

University Hospital Lewisham 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. It rated the hospital's urgent and emergency services Good when they were last inspected in January 2019. You can read the full CQC report.

Can children be treated at University Hospital Lewisham A&E?

This A&E serves: All ages. 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 University Hospital Lewisham a Major Trauma Centre?

No - University Hospital Lewisham is a designated Trauma Unit. It treats significant injuries and stabilises the most complex cases before transfer to a regional Major Trauma Centre.
About this data
This hospital does not currently have a live data source. The waiting times shown here are reported by visitors and may not reflect current conditions. You can see how we source data for every hospital on our data sources page. 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. If any information is incorrect, please let us know.
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