NHS to invest almost £140m in urgent care: what opens before winter

The government announced on 18 October that almost £140 million will go into fourteen new urgent care schemes across England: urgent treatment centres, same day emergency care units, new ambulance fleets and emergency department rebuilds. A further 25 sites announced in April will open or expand in time for winter. Here is where patients will notice it, and where to go this winter if you are unwell.

What exactly did the government announce?

Almost £140 million is being invested in 14 new urgent care schemes across England: new urgent treatment centres (UTCs), same day emergency care (SDEC) services, new ambulance fleets and emergency department upgrades. The announcement follows what the government calls the busiest summer in NHS history, ahead of a winter it describes as one of the most challenging.

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Health and Social Care Secretary Yvette Cooper said: "Winter will be more challenging for our NHS this year, after such a heavy summer. That's why we have been preparing early and investing in extra urgent care capacity to help get patients the care they need."

In total the government says it is investing almost £2 billion in urgent care capital projects until 2030, on top of £1.5 billion confirmed so far for urgent maintenance problems across the NHS estate.

Where is the money going, and which hospitals will notice?

The largest single item is £42.1 million for a full A&E transformation at Queen's Hospital, Romford. The department was built to see around 325 patients a day and now regularly treats more than twice that number. The money buys a modern emergency department, dedicated waiting areas, a refurbished children's A&E and better digital systems.

Other addresses on the government's list:

— £18.4m over three years for digital transformation of emergency departments across London: digital check-in and triage tools.
— £12m for a replacement ambulance operational hub in Shrewsbury.
— £12.9m for a new SDEC facility at Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham.
— £10m for a new UTC at James Paget University Hospital, Gorleston.
— £6.35m for 40 additional double-crewed ambulances at East Midlands Ambulance Service.
— £6m over two years at Basildon Hospital, doubling the rapid assessment and treatment area from three bays to eight.
— £7.7m over four years for a coordination centre at Addenbrooke's, Cambridge.
— £4.86m for an emergency department refurbishment at Norfolk and Norwich, £4.7m to move SDEC closer to A&E at the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary in Wigan, £3.9m to upgrade the UTC at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, £6.76m for a new SDEC at Airedale General, £2m for more beds at Lister Hospital, Stevenage, and £1m over two years for the entrance and waiting areas at University Hospital of North Tees.

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What are UTC and SDEC, and how do they differ from A&E?

A UTC treats urgent but non-life-threatening problems: cuts, simple fractures, infections, flare-ups. You go there instead of A&E, and the wait is usually shorter. SDEC means assessment and treatment within a single day, so that a patient who can safely go home does not spend a night in hospital. Both exist to keep A&E free for the most seriously ill.

What is already open for this winter?

Of the 25 sites announced in April, new UTCs are already open at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, Northampton General and Royal Stoke University Hospital. Southampton General expects its new UTC in November 2026; Salisbury District Hospital, the Royal Hampshire County Hospital and North Middlesex Hospital expect theirs in December 2026. SDEC expansions are already open in Barnsley, Margate, Stockport, Wigan, Abingdon, Wexham Park, the Royal Berkshire, Frimley Park, Derriford and Torbay; Mid Yorkshire and Royal Devon are expected in January 2027.

Where should you go if you are unwell but it is not life-threatening?

If you are not sure whether you need A&E, start with NHS 111: check your symptoms on 111 online or call 111. A&E is open 24 hours a day, but it is for serious injuries and life-threatening emergencies, and the NHS warns plainly that departments are currently very busy and you will likely wait. Do not drive yourself: ask someone to take you, or call 999. Every patient is assessed by a doctor or nurse first, and arriving by ambulance does not always mean being seen sooner. The government has also expanded Pharmacy First and added evening, weekend and out-of-hours GP appointments for the colder months.

Who gets a free flu jab?

More than 7.4 million flu vaccinations had been delivered in England by 11 October, and more children have been vaccinated than last year. You can get the free NHS flu vaccine if you are 65 or over (including anyone who turns 65 by 31 March 2027); if you are 18 to 64 with certain long-term health conditions; if you are pregnant, at any stage; if you live in a care home; if you are the main carer for an older or disabled person or receive Carer's Allowance; if you live with someone who has a weakened immune system; or if you are 16 or over and rough sleeping or staying in a homeless hostel or night shelter. Book online, in the NHS App, at a pharmacy or through your GP surgery.