The department sees approximately 60,000 patients per year which includes both children and adults. Major trauma diverts to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh along with a small number of surgical presentations but otherwise the departments cares a wide variety of presentations from cardiac arrests to pulled elbows.

The wider hospital provides for most common adult and paediatric specialties as well as mental health, but not acute general surgical or trauma/orthopaedic admissions which are centralised in Edinburgh. SJH has the supra-regional plastic surgery and burns unit, oral and maxillofacial as well as ENT surgery. The emergency department operates an 14 bed observation ward adjacent to the main department.

The department offers a friendly and welcoming working environment. A varied daily teaching programme, including simulation training, runs through the week. There is Consultant presence in the department until 23:00, 7 days a week. In additional Consultants based in RIE and RHCYP work in the department during the week on a sessional basis. Other staff include an experienced nursing and nurse practitioner team, Occupational therapist and Orthopaedic technicians.