Accident and emergency departments are the doorway to the hospital for acutely ill and injured patients. Whereas casualty departments have existed for over 150 years, they were often poorly staffed and managed. This book describes the fight to create a new medical specialty of accident and emergency medicine against much opposition from established specialties. The specialty was first recognised in 1972. The book also charts the major developments that occurred in the first 30 years of the specialty.

HENRY GULY qualified in London in 1974 and entered higher training in accident and emergency in Plymouth and Exeter in 1980. In 1983 he became the first A&E consultant in Wolverhampton, before moving back to Plymouth in 1986 as a consultant. He has been a Member of the Board of the Faculty of Accident and Emergency Medicine since 1993.