Emergency care

Emergency departments and Triple Zero (000) are always there when you need them.

If you or someone else is experiencing a life-threatening emergency, call Triple Zero (000) immediately.

When to call Triple Zero (000) or go to an emergency department

Is this the right service for me?

Call Triple Zero (000) immediately if you or someone else has issues with:

Heart or circulation

• chest pain, tightness or pressure
• sudden shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• signs of stroke, such as face drooping, arm weakness or slurred speech
• a rapid or irregular heartbeat with dizziness or fainting

Serious injury or bleeding

• a serious injury from a fall, accident or impact
• severe or uncontrolled bleeding
• a suspected broken bone involving the spine, pelvis or femur
• a head injury with confusion, vomiting or loss of consciousness
• a deep wound or penetrating injury

Breathing or consciousness

• difficulty breathing or stopped breathing
• loss of consciousness or unresponsiveness
• a seizure, especially if it is the person’s first seizure or it does not stop
• a sudden, severe headache unlike any they have had before

Severe allergic reaction or poisoning

• a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), including swelling of the throat, difficulty breathing or collapse
• suspected poisoning or overdose
• ingestion of a toxic substance

Babies and young children

• a baby under three months with a fever above 38°C
• a child who is limp, unresponsive or difficult to wake
• a child with rapid, laboured or unusual breathing
• a child who has had a seizure for the first time

Mental health emergencies

• a person who is in immediate danger of harming themselves or others
• a mental health crisis where the person’s safety or the safety of others cannot be assured.
  

For urgent mental health support that is not immediately life-threatening, call the Mental Health Triage Service on 13 14 65, available 24 hours a day.

What to expect

What happens when I arrive at an emergency department?

When you arrive, a triage nurse will assess the urgency of your condition. Patients are seen in order of clinical urgency, not in the order they arrive. This means people with the most serious illness or injury are always seen first.

Once you have been assessed, you will be directed to the appropriate care area. A doctor or specialist will examine you, arrange any tests or scans that are needed, and provide treatment. If you need to be admitted to hospital, this will be arranged from the emergency department.

All patients are assessed and seen according to the urgency of their condition, regardless of how they arrive.

How does Triple Zero work?

Triple Zero (000) is Australia’s national emergency number. It is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from any phone, including mobile phones with no credit or SIM card.

When you call:

• an operator will ask whether you need police, fire or ambulance
• say ambulance for medical emergencies
• the operator will ask for your location, so provide as much detail as you can
• stay on the line and follow the operator’s instructions.

If you cannot speak, stay on the line and follow any prompts. Operators are trained to assist callers who cannot speak.

Find your nearest emergency department

Where is my nearest ED?

For non-emergency health concerns

If your health concern is urgent but not life-threatening, consider: