Emergency departments (EDs) across Western Australia provide urgent, lifesaving care for people with serious or life-threatening conditions. They operate 24 hours a day and are staffed by specialist teams trained to respond to medical emergencies.
Some private hospitals have emergency departments; however, they may charge fees for medical services.
If it is an emergency, call Triple Zero (000) for an ambulance. Paramedics can begin treatment immediately and ensure safe transport to the most appropriate hospital.
Call Triple Zero (000) if:
You should go to an ED immediately if you or someone else has:
These symptoms may indicate a life-threatening condition. EDs are designed to diagnose and treat these conditions as a priority.
For urgent health issues that are not life-threatening, an urgent care clinic, 1800MEDICARE or GP may be a faster option.
Do not drive to the ED. Ask someone to drive you or call Triple Zero (000) and ask for an ambulance.
When you enter the emergency department, you’ll be greeted by reception staff who will ask for basic details such as your name, date of birth, and the reason for your visit. If you arrive by ambulance, paramedics will hand over your information directly to the clinical team.
A specially trained triage nurse will assess your symptoms to determine how urgently you need care. Patients with:
The triage process ensures the sickest patients receive care first, regardless of arrival time.
If your condition changes while you are waiting, let the triage nurse know.
The staff at the ED will ask a lot of questions as they may not know your medical history.
To help staff assess and treat you, tell them:
When you call Triple Zero (000), 1800MEDICARE (1800 633 422) or have an ambulance arrive, you might be connected to the WA Virtual Emergency Department (WAVED) if you are deemed suitable for that assessment.
This service lets you speak with an emergency doctor through video call, who can provide treatment advice, prescriptions, and referrals. This service means you may not have to attend a physical ED.
How long you wait depends on how busy the ED is at the time, and the number of patients whose conditions are more serious than yours. After seeing the triage nurse, you may be asked to wait in the waiting room.
Emergency departments work on a triage system.
Sometimes the waiting room may appear quiet, but the ED itself can still be very busy.
See the up-to-date WA Health emergency department wait times.
For private hospital wait times, visit the hospital’s website.
If you go to an emergency department, remember to bring:
Not sure where you need to go?
Use the online symptom checker to get the recommended care options for your symptoms and help you decide on what to do next.
This takes an average of 6 minutes to complete.
