Emergencies
In an emergency
If you have a life-threatening medical condition, call 000 (triple zero) and request an ambulance.
If you have had a serious accident or suddenly become ill and require urgent medical care you can also come to our Emergency Department (ED) at Rockingham General Hospital.
We are located on Elanora Drive (external site) in Cooloongup. Our ED is open 24-hours a day, every day of the year.
Please be aware that patients are seen in order of illness severity, and not in order of attendance. If another patient comes to the Emergency Department with a more serious condition, you will need to wait. We thank you for your patience and understanding.
Read about other services that provide support and immediate response to people in crisis or in need of urgent medical care (Healthy WA).
Dental emergencies
The Emergency Department does not provide emergency dental services.
Information about how to access emergency dental care is available on the Dental Health Services website (external site).
The UWA Dental School operates a weekend emergency clinic (external site).
What to bring with you
If you are coming into our Emergency Department, if possible please bring with you:
- your Medicare Card
- any other entitlement cards (health care/pension/veterans’/safety net)
- your passport/health insurance details (overseas visitors/students)
- details of your private health insurance (if you want to be admitted as a private patient)
- your current medications including over the counter medications (or a list)
- any x-rays/ultrasounds/scans that may be related to your condition
- your work contact details if your condition is covered by Workers’ Compensation
- the name of your General Practitioner (GP).
When you arrive
Please see the Triage Nurse first. They will ask questions and assess your condition to determine your level of priority:
- immediate (life threatening)
- very urgent
- urgent
- standard
- non-urgent.
Some patients need to be taken straight into the Emergency Department. Others will be directed to the waiting room.
While you are waiting, please inform the Triage Nurse if:
- your condition worsens
- you decide to seek treatment elsewhere.
What happens next
Once you are inside the Emergency Department, you will undergo a thorough assessment by a team of nursing and medical staff.
Tests and procedures will be carried out when necessary. The team will review your test results and provide emergency treatment, and will then decide to either:
- allow you to return home with a referral if necessary for further care (such as a follow-up appointment with your local doctor or an outpatient appointment)
- monitor your condition for a few hours before making a decision
- admit you to the hospital for further care.
Sometimes patients must wait for test results or for a ward bed to become available. This may cause unavoidable delays in the Emergency Department. Our staff will continue to care for you until you are able to go to a ward or be discharged home.
Metropolitan Emergency Department wait times
WA Health's Emergency Department activity page (external site) provides an up-to-date view of the status of the emergency departments in each of the metropolitan public hospitals.
This site provides current information on the average wait times and the number of patients waiting to be seen.
If you need urgent medical attention, please go to your nearest emergency department.
Where to get advice over the phone
There are other services available to assist you if you have an urgent medical condition: