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Clinical Standards and Guidance

Clinical Standards and Guidance Topics

General Clinical Guidelines

TitleContentAuthorPublished
Diagnosis of Thoracic Aortic Dissection in the Emergency DepartmentGuidelineRCEM2025
End of Life CareToolkitRCEM2025
Management of adult patients presenting to the ED who may require Emergency LaparotomyAdvisory StatementRCEM2024
Management of Pain in AdultsGuidelineRCEM2024
Recommendations for adults presenting to the ED with seizuresAdvisory StatementRCEM2024
Management of sickle cell disease in the Emergency DepartmentGuidelineRCEM2024
Cauda Equina – response to the GIRFT pathway publicationAdvisory StatementRCEM2024
Head Injuries in Asymptomatic patients on anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapyAdvisory StatementRCEM, AACE, BGS, Society of British Neurosurgeons2024
Cannabinoid Hyperemesis SyndromeGuidelineRCEM2024
Invasive Procedures in the Emergency Department GuidelineRCEM2023
Emergency CT scans and the Use of Iodinated Contract AgentsAdvisory StatementRCEM & RCR2023
Adult acute severe sore throat management guidelines for emergencyGuidelineENTUK
2022
Think EctopicSafety FlashRCEM2021
Patient Discharge Advice: Bleeding or Pain in Early PregnancyToolkitRCEM2021
NEWS2 and Oxygen RequirementSafety FlashRCEM2020
Localised Cutaneous Argyria After Nasal CauterySafety FlashRCEM2020
Management of Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm to a Specialist Vascular CentreGuidelineRCEM2019
Management and Transfer of patients with a Ruptured Aortic AneurysmGuidelineRCEM2019
Pressure Ulcers Safety FlashRCEM2018
Complications of Early Pregnancy and the role of the emergency DepartmentPosition StatementRCEM2017

Critical Care, Pain & Sedation Management

TitleContentAuthorPublished
Management of Pain in AdultsGuidelineRCEM2024
Procedural Sedation in the Emergency Department GuidelineRCEM2022
Better Together: Collaborative Working Between Emergency and Critical CareGuidelineRCEM & FICM2021
Fascia Iliaca Block in the Emergency DepartmentGuidelineRCEM2025
Care at the End of Life GuidelineFICM2019
Advanced Life SupportPosition StatementRCEM2019
Intravenous Regional Anaesthesia for Distal Forearm fracturesGuidelineRCEM2017
Emergency Airway ManagementPosition StatementRCEM & RCoA2015

Trauma

TitleContentAuthorPublished
Improving Hip Fracture Care & TreatmentToolkitRCEM2023
Treatment Tool for Hip Fracture Care ToolkitRCEM2023
Silver TraumaSafety FlashRCEM2019
Traumatic Cardiac Arrest in AdultsGuidelineRCEM2019
Resuscitative Thoracotomy in Trauma UnitsPosition StatementRCEM2017
Missed Hip FracturesSafety FlashRCEM2017

Infectious Diseases

TitleContentAuthorPublished
MeaslesPosition StatementRCEM2024
Statement on the initial antimicrobal treatment of sepsisPosition StatementAcademy of Medical Royal Colleges2022
Meningitis and SepticaemiaSafety FlashRCEM2021
HIV Testing in the Emergency DepartmentGuidelineRCEM2020

Pediatrics & Child Health

TitleContentAuthorPublished
Facing the Future: Standards for children and Young People in Emergency CareJoint StandardsRCPCH and intercollegiate committee2025
Ingestion of Super Strong Magnets in ChildrenSafety FlashRCEM2024
Undetected Button and Coin Cell Battery Ingestion in ChildrenSafety FlashRCEM2024
Water Beads and Bowel ObstructionSafety FlashRCEM2024
Handlebar Injuries in ChildrenSafety FlashRCEM2024
Detection and Management of Non accidental injury in infantsGuidelineRCEM2024
Paediatric Early Warning ScoresPosition StatementRCEM2024
Management of Adolescent/Young Adult Patients in the Emergency DepartmentGuidelineRCEM2023
Ketamine Procedural Sedation for Children in EDsGuidelineRCEM2020
Management of Pain in childrenGuidelineRCEM2017

Older People's Emergency Medicine

TitleContentAuthorPublished
End of Life Care Best Practice ToolkitRCEM2025
SDEC FrailtyToolkitRCEM2024
Improving Emergency Department Care and Treatment for People with a Hip FractureJoint StandardsRCEM, RCP, IHFD, Scottish Gov, NOCA2023
The silver book – quality urgent care for older peopleGuideanceIntercollegiate guidance2021
Silver TraumaSafety FlashRCEM2019

Ethical & Legal Considerations

TitleContentAuthorPublished
Artificial IntelligencePosition StatementRCEM2022
When a Colleague DiesGuidelineRCEM2020
Consent in Adults, Adolescents and Children in Emergency DepartmentsGuidelineRCEM2018
The Mental Capacity Act In Emergency Medicine PracticeGuidelineRCEM2017
Chaperones in the Emergency DepartmentGuidelineRCEM2015

Reducing violence and agression

TitleContentAuthorPublished
Use of Body Cameras in the EDAdvisory StatementRCEM2022
Security and Restraint in the EDSurveyRCEM2021

Forensics, Police, Prisoners

TitleContentAuthorPublished
Management of Controlled Energy Device attendances (Taser)GuidelineRCEM2021
Management of Suspected Internal Drug Trafficker (SIDT)GuidelineRCEM2020
Information sharing to reduce community violenceGuidelineRCEM2017
Emergency Department Patients in Police CustodyGuidelineRCEM2016
Providing a Witness Statement for the Police GuidelineRCEM2012

Social Issues & Special Populations

TitleContentAuthorPublished
Improving Public Health and Reducing Health Inequalities In Emergency DepartmentsToolkit
RCEM
2025
Learning Disabilities Toolkit Toolkit
RCEM
2024
Frequent Attendance in the Emergency Department: Delivering Interventions and Services for High Intensity UseGuidelineRCEM
2024
Homelessness and Inclusion HealthGuidelineRCEM
2020
A Universal Female Genital Mutilation flowchart and reporting toolGuidelineRCEM
2017
Management of Sexual Assault/Rape CasesGuidelineRCEM
2015
Management of Domestic AbuseGuidelineRCEM
2015

Mental Health

TitleContentAuthorPublished
Acute Behavioural Disturbance in the Emergency DepartmentGuidelineRCEM2025
Right care Right PersonPosition StatementRCEM2024
Mental Health in the Emergency DepartmentToolkitRCEM2023
EM Doctors performing Mental Health Act Assessments in England and WalesPosition StatementRCEM2020
Side by Side: A UK-wide consensus statement on working together to help patients with mental health needs in acute hospitalsPosition StatementRCEM, RCPsych, RCN, RCP2020
A brief guide to section 136 for Emergency Departments GuidelineRCEM2025

Toxicology & Poisoning

TitleContentAuthorPublished
Glycerol Toxicity from Slushies Safety FlashRCEM2025
Management of Patients with Suspected but Unidentified Poisoning in the Emergency DepartmentGuidelineRCEM2025
Acute Opioid Toxicity GuidelineRCEM & NPIS2024
Suspected Nitrous Oxide Toxicity in Emergency DepartmentGuidelineRCEM2023
Nitrous Oxide Associated NeuropathySafety FlashRCEM2022
Drug misuse and the Emergency DepartmentGuidelineRCEM2019
Phenytoin ToxicitySafety FlashRCEM2016
Inadvertent Injection of Solutions Intended for Topical UseSafety FlashNHSE2015
Alcohol ToolkitRCEM2015

Clinical Risk & Errors

TitleContentAuthorPublished
Diabetes wearable technology Safety FlashRCEM2022
Drug Errors in High-Pressure or Infrequent SituationsSafety FlashRCEM2021
Silver Nitrate: Spot the DifferenceSafety FlashRCEM2019
Retained GuidewiresSafety FlashRCEM2017
IV Administration of OramorphSafety FlashRCEM2017
Insulin Errors in the EDSafety FlashRCEM2017
Oral DenturesSafety FlashRCEM2016

Medication Management & Critical Drug Shortages

TitleContentAuthorPublished
Glucocorticoid Steroid DependencySafety FlashRCEM2025
Euglycaemic DKA with SGLT-2 Inhibitor (-flozin)Safety FlashRCEM2025
Time Critical Medication self -administration in EDsAdvisory statementRCEM2025
SpikingPosition StatementRCEM2024
Pabrinex ShortageSafety FlashRCEM2024
Time Critical MedicationsSafety FlashRCEM2023
Shortages of Alteplase and TenecteplaseSafety FlashRCEM2022

Emergency Department Operations

TitleContentAuthorPublished
UK NHS ambulance service and emergency department pre-alertGuidelineRCEM & AACE2025
Providing care in the back of ambulancesPosition StatementRCEM2025
Providing Patient Information in the Emergency DepartmentGuidelineRCEM2025
Mortality reviews in the emergency departmentGuidelineRCEM2025
Pharmacists and pharmacy services in emergency departmentsPosition StatementRCEM & UK Clinical Pharmacy Association2023
Clinical responsibility for patients within the EDPosition StatementRCEM2023
Management of investigation results in the emergency departmentGuidelineRCEM2023
Discharge to General PracticeGuidelineRCEM & RCGP2022
Ambulance handover delays : Options appraisal to support good decision makingRCEM & COP2022
Emergency department careGuidelineRCEM2021
Governance responsibilities for patients who do not attend booked appointments in the emergency departmentPosition StatementRCEM2020
Emergency department out of hours discharge medicationsGuidelineRCEM2019
Ambulatory emergency care ToolkitRCEM2019
Consultant sign offRCEM2016
Reducing redundant activity in the acute settingGuidelineRCEM2015

Covid

TtileContentAuthorPubished
Coronavirus infection, prevention and control guidanceGuidelineRCEM2022
Communication errors with PPESafety FlashRCEM2021
HIV testing in the emergency departmentGuidelineRCEM2020
Appropriate PPE and risk assessmentSafety FlashRCEM2020
New S2 and oxygen requirementSafety FlashRCEM2020
All that glitters… Things to remember during the Covid pandemicSafety FlashRCEM2020
People with diabetes and Covid-19Safety FlashRCEM2020
Salbutamol, Peak flow and nebulisation advice during Covid-19Safety FlashRCEM2020
Buddy systemSafety FlashRCEM2020