Emergency Department

When you arrive you will be seen by a specialist triage nurse, who has a responsibility for allocating how urgent your need is. The order in which you will be seen is determined by the seriousness of your health problem, not the time of your arrival. Those people with the most serious and urgent conditions are seen first, and those with less serious conditions may have to wait until a clinician is free.

The triage nurse may check on you several times while you are waiting. If your condition gets worse you should tell the triage nurse immediately.

Do not eat or drink

Please ask the staff before you eat or drink while you are waiting to be seen. You may need tests or procedures that require you not to eat or drink beforehand. 

Pain relief

If you are in pain tell the Triage Nurse who may be able to offer some pain relief.

If you need to come to the emergency department please bring:

• A list of all the medicines you are currently taking. If you do not have a list simply bring your medicines with you.
• The name and phone number of your usual general practitioner (GP) or medical centre.
• Any letters or results from your doctor or other health professional.
• Private health insurance or Department of Veteran Affairs card if you have one.
• Your Medicare card or passport (if you are not an Australian citizen).
• A list of your allergies.
• Current contact details for you and a nominated next-of-kin or person we can contact if we need to for your care.

Please let us know if you are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origins. We have an Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officer who can provide you with cultural, emotional, social or financial support. Please ask the staff to contact our AHLO.

Emergency care is free to Medicare Card holders or citizens of counties with reciprocal Medicare arrangements. If you are from a country not covered, an upfront fee will apply which you may be able to make a claim for on your private or travel insurance. Please let clerical staff know as soon as you arrive.

Read more about payment for services as an overseas visitor.

Please let us know if you need an interpreter during your time in ED.

Visitors are welcomed to attend ED. Generally we limit the number of visitors to two people at any one time. At times the NSW Ministry of Health have further restrictions on the number of visitors able to visit at one time.

A doctor or nurse will let you know when you can go home. Before you leave you should make sure that you:

• Understand your treatment including what medicines to take and how to take them
• Know when to see a doctor again
• Have your discharge letter, and any work or medical certificate you may need.
• Take with you any medicines that you have brought to the ED

Tell your local doctor (GP) within a couple of days that you have visited the ED. Results from any tests conducted in the ED will be forwarded to them. Please take any letters given to you by the hospital when you visit your GP. If for any reason you prefer us not to forward any information to your GP please let your treating doctor know.

We are a teaching hospital and student doctors or nurses may be involved and supervised by senior staff during your visit. You have the right to say no. If you do so, this will not impact in any way on the services we will provide.