Emergency Department at Flinders Medical Centre

The Flinders Medical Centre (FMC) Emergency Department (ED) is open 24 hours, seven days a week.

The ED is accredited by the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine. It is the obstetric trauma centre for South Australia and a designated state trauma centre. 

The FMC ED is one of the busiest in South Australia, with approximately 85,000 - 90,000 attendances per year.

People come to the ED with a variety of illnesses. Our priority is to treat the most critically ill or injured patients first, with these patients attended to urgently on arrival.

The department is divided into adult and paediatric areas. The adult area has two streams - one for patients likely to be admitted and the other for patients likely to be discharged. There is a co-located short stay ward for patients requiring up to 24 hours of care.

Contact details

Location:  Level 3 FMC, access via external lift on level 2 opposite northern entrance. Look for the red doors. 
Directions: Use Care (Western) public carpark, exit on level 2. Head down the ramp and cross the road, walk up the stairs (or ramp) and take the external ED lift by turning right immediately at the top of the stairs. Look for the red doors.

The ED has a 10 minute set down and pick up area for approximately three vehicles outside the entrance door. This is accessed via the Emergency Ramp located off Service Road. Please follow the signs.

Full hospital map: Flinders Medical Centre Site Map (PDF 133KB)

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 000 and ask for the ambulance service.

If you are unsure as to whether you need to attend hospital, please contact Health Direct on 1800 022 222 where you will be able to speak with a Registered Nurse.

Please be aware that no South Australian public hospital, including FMC, will give out medical advice over the phone.

Patient enquiries: Please call (08) 8204 6065 to speak with an ED Communication Clerk.

What to expect when you visit

Please read the Welcome to the Emergency Department Brochure (PDF 600KB) that provides further information about what to expect when visiting the Emergency Department.

First steps

After registering at the Administration Desk, everyone is seen by a senior nurse, known as a Triage nurse. This nurse decides how urgently you need to be treated depending on how unwell or injured you are.

Other people who are more unwell or injured may be seen first, even if they arrive after you. Please also let the nurse know if you have travelled overseas recently.

If at any time you don’t know what is happening, please ask the staff – they are happy to answer any questions.

You're worried. We're listening

Our staff are trained to provide the very best health care. This includes recognising when a patient’s condition is deteriorating. Even so, there are times when you may be concerned about a recent
change in your condition or that of a loved one.

We understand you know yourself or your loved ones best. If something does not feel right, tell us.

Keeping everyone safe

Please maintain good hygiene by cleaning your hands, on arrival, on leaving and coming back to the waiting room and after using the bathroom. Wear a mask at all times.

If you are a visitor, please do not come to the ED if you are unwell.

For the safety of our staff, patients and visitors, anyone who is acting in a violent or abusive way will be asked to leave.

Alternative services for non-urgent cases

Is it an emergency or more of an umm…ergency? When you’re unsure what to do, call healthdirect on 1800 022 222 to speak to a registered nurse 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Other essential and support staff

SALHN hospitals are teaching facilities and medical or nursing students may be involved in your care. You have the right to have this explained to you so please ask us if you have any questions.

Feedback

Your feedback is important to us.

Please ask us for a feedback form while in the ED, or contact the Consumer Advisory Service on (08) 8204 5433, or by email on HealthSALHNConsumerAdvisory@sa.gov.au.

What matters to you

Please tell us anything you feel would help us care for you better. For example, do you have any religious or cultural beliefs or practices or other needs or concerns?

More information

Paediatric Emergency Department