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The Emergency Department

The Emergency Department operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We see around 58,000 children each year, ranging from newborns to teenagers.

Contacting the Emergency Department Please call the Emergency Department any time if you need some advice before sending a child to hospital. If possible please also call with some background information when you are sending a child to us. It will be helpful to us if you are able to fax a summary/reason for referral before the child arrives. Tel (03) 9345 6153 Fax (03) 9345 6006 Accelerated Care through Emergency (ACE) This programme identifies children who frequently present to the Emergency Department (ie four times or more in one year). Their presentations are managed by either preventing or fast tracking admission through the hospital.  About 150 patients are presently on this programme.  Tel (03) 9345 6159

Advice for parents

Seeing a specialist

• In the ED, children may see a consultant or they may see a junior doctor under the supervision of the consultant.
• Referrals from ED to out-patients are triaged exactly the same as referrals from GPs and the community.  Coming to emergency will not help fast-track children in to the hospital system. 

Waiting times

• Waiting times may vary considerably depending on the time of day, how busy the department is and if there are any emergencies at the time.
• The quietest times are usually mornings.

Triage

• Children will always be seen immediately by a triage nurse.  The triage nurse decides how quickly each child must see a doctor.
• This means children who come in after your child may be seen first if their condition is considered more urgent by the triage nurse.
• See DHS website on Emergency care.