Number could be up for A&E name as NHS reviews emergency services

NHS bosses are said to be considering renaming A&E departments “999 emergency departments” or “111 emergency departments”.

A leaked document shows naming units in line with the emergency or non-emergency telephone numbers is an option being explored in a review of emergency services in England, the Health Service Journal said.

Experts launched the review amid concerns over rising demand for urgent and emergency care.

A NHS Commissioning Board spokesman said: “No decisions have yet been made and it would be wrong to make any assumptions based on media reports about internal documents which relate to incomplete work.”