South East · BN2 5BE
Royal Sussex County Hospital
Royal Sussex County Hospital is an acute teaching hospital in Brighton with an A&E. The same campus includes the Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital (with a children's emergency department for under-16s), the Sussex Eye Hospital and the Sussex Cancer Centre. Its consultant-led maternity unit is in the Thomas Kemp tower, alongside the Trevor Mann Baby Unit.
Contact details, visiting and parking from the hospital’s official website, checked on 26 September 2026. Please check with the hospital before you travel.
Royal Sussex County Hospital phone numbers
Main switchboard01273 696955A&E reception ext. 64261; children's A&E ext. 2364- Outpatient appointments (booking centre)Mon–Thu 8am–6pm, Fri 8am–5pm0300 131 6770
- Maternity: call a midwife24/7; same number for all the trust's hospitals01903 285 269
- PALS (Royal Sussex County, Sussex Eye and Royal Alexandra Children's)Also 01273 664973; email uhsussex.pals@nhs.net01273 664511
PALS email: uhsussex.pals@nhs.net
In an emergency call 999. For urgent medical advice call NHS 111.
Where is Royal Sussex County Hospital?
Eastern Road, Brighton, BN2 5BE
Directions in Google MapsNearest NHS hospitals
Visiting times at Royal Sussex County Hospital
Adult wards
Up to 2 visitorsUsually 10am–8pm daily (some wards differ); up to 2 adults at the bedside at a time; please do not bring children onto adult wards
Maternity
Up to 2 visitorsBirth supporter at any time; other visitors 2pm–8pm on antenatal and postnatal wards, no more than 2 adults (including the birth supporter) at the bedside; the baby's siblings are welcome. Up to 2 birth supporters during labour and birth.
Children's wards
One parent or carer can stay with their child at all times
Speak to the ward manager to visit outside the usual times. End-of-life care: up to 4 visitors a day, arranged with the ward. Holders of a carers passport are supported to be with the person they care for.
Parking at Royal Sussex County Hospital
ANPR parking (no ticket; pay at a pay station before returning to your car) in the North Car Park multi-storey (24/7, 2.0m height limit, entered from Bristol Gate) and the underground Louisa Martindale Building car park (6am–11.30pm, 2.2m height limit). 20-minute grace period. No parking at A&E, only one drop-off/pick-up bay.
- 0 to 2 hours£4.20
- 2 to 4 hours£8.40
- 4 to 6 hours£11.00
- 6 to 12 hours£11.00
- 12 to 24 hours£18.20
- over 24 hours£18.20 plus the tariff above for the extra time
Free or reduced parking: Free for Blue Badge holders (follow the instructions at the car park exit). Free for some patient groups such as regular dialysis patients; concessions for cancer centre patients, long-stay patients and their relatives and carers. Cancer centre patients can get a permit for the car park opposite the Macmillan Horizon Centre.
Getting there
- By busRoutes 1, 1A, 7, N7, 14B, 14C, 23, 27C, 37, 37B, 47, 52, 57, 71, 73, 94A, 271 and 272 stop outside the hospital. The 271 and 272 link it with the Princess Royal Hospital and are free for patients with an appointment letter for that day.
- By trainBrighton station is the nearest; bus route 7 runs from stop B1 outside the station (up to every 6 minutes)
Shops, food and facilities
- Peabodys (Louisa Martindale Building)
- WHSmith with M&S hybrid store (Louisa Martindale Building)
- Terrace Restaurant (Audrey Emerton Building, weekdays)
- RVS cafés (Emergency Department, Thomas Kemp Tower, Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital, Sussex Cancer Centre, Sussex Eye Hospital)
- WHSmith (Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital)
How University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust performs
NHS England publishes waiting times for University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust as a whole, covering Royal Sussex County Hospital and the trust’s other hospitals.
Waiting-list data: July 2026Published by NHS England on · next release expected 8 October 2026 · sources
NHSQueue score: 1.6 out of 10
Among the worstUniversity Hospitals Sussex ranks 122 of 126 NHS hospital trusts in England on the latest official figures.
- Waiting list (share within 18 weeks)better than 1% of trusts
- A&E (seen within 4 hours)better than 5% of trusts
- Diagnostic tests (waiting under 6 weeks)better than 65% of trusts
- Cancer (28-day and 62-day standards)better than 15% of trusts
Each measure is compared with every other NHS hospital trust, then combined: waiting list 35%, A&E 20%, tests 15%, cancer 15%, CQC 15%. How the score works
Waiting list for planned treatment
16.2 weeksF wait grade
median wait · 53.1% under 18 weeks · 117,217 waiting
+1,081 waiting vs June 2026
Waiting times by specialty
A&E
59.5%
seen within 4 hours in August 2026 · 33,836 attendances
England: 75.0%
A&E waiting times
Diagnostic tests (MRI, CT, endoscopy…)
12.9%
waiting 6+ weeks · 19,894 waiting for a test
July 2026 · standard: under 1%
Test waits
Cancer: diagnosed within 28 days
74.0%
65.2% treated within 62 days
July 2026 · standard 75%
Cancer waiting times
Other hospitals run by University Hospitals Sussex
- Worthing HospitalA&E open 24 hours · Lyndhurst Road, Worthing, West Sussex, BN11 2DH
- St Richard's HospitalA&E open 24 hours · Spitalfield Lane, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 6SE
- Princess Royal HospitalA&E open 24 hours · Lewes Road, Haywards Heath, RH16 4EX
University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust: all hospitals and contact details →
Royal Sussex County Hospital: common questions
What is the phone number for Royal Sussex County Hospital?
The main number for Royal Sussex County Hospital is 01273 696955. Other useful numbers: outpatient appointments (booking centre) 0300 131 6770; maternity: call a midwife 01903 285 269; pals (royal sussex county, sussex eye and royal alexandra children's) 01273 664511.
What are the visiting times at Royal Sussex County Hospital?
Adult wards: Adult wards usually 10am–8pm daily (some wards differ); up to 2 adults at the bedside at a time; please do not bring children onto adult wards. Maternity: Birth supporter at any time; other visitors 2pm–8pm on antenatal and postnatal wards, no more than 2 adults (including the birth supporter) at the bedside; the baby's siblings are welcome. Up to 2 birth supporters during labour and birth. Children's wards: One parent or carer can stay with their child at all times. Check with the ward before you travel, as times can change.
How much is parking at Royal Sussex County Hospital?
ANPR parking (no ticket; pay at a pay station before returning to your car) in the North Car Park multi-storey (24/7, 2.0m height limit, entered from Bristol Gate) and the underground Louisa Martindale Building car park (6am–11.30pm, 2.2m height limit). 20-minute grace period. No parking at A&E, only one drop-off/pick-up bay. Charges: 0 to 2 hours: £4.20, 2 to 4 hours: £8.40, 4 to 6 hours: £11.00, 6 to 12 hours: £11.00. Free for Blue Badge holders (follow the instructions at the car park exit). Free for some patient groups such as regular dialysis patients; concessions for cancer centre patients, long-stay patients and their relatives and carers. Cancer centre patients can get a permit for the car park opposite the Macmillan Horizon Centre.
Where is Royal Sussex County Hospital?
Royal Sussex County Hospital is at Eastern Road, Brighton, BN2 5BE. It is run by University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust. By bus: Routes 1, 1A, 7, N7, 14B, 14C, 23, 27C, 37, 37B, 47, 52, 57, 71, 73, 94A, 271 and 272 stop outside the hospital. The 271 and 272 link it with the Princess Royal Hospital and are free for patients with an appointment letter for that day.
Does Royal Sussex County Hospital have an A&E?
Yes. Royal Sussex County Hospital has an emergency department. Across University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, 59.5% of 33,836 A&E attendances ended within 4 hours in August 2026.
Sources: NHS England statistics on referral to treatment (RTT) waiting times (July 2026), A&E attendances (August 2026), diagnostic waiting times (DM01) and cancer waiting times, published 10 September 2026; hospital sites from the nhs.uk organisation data. Figures are checked against the official national totals before every update.
NHSQueue is an independent website and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NHS. How we use the data · Report an error · Photo credits