Emergencies

Our emergency department (ED) at Rockingham General Hospital provides emergency medical care due to a serious accident or sudden illness.

The ED is open 24-hours a day, every day of the year and is located on Elanora Drive, Cooloongup (external site).

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 support and immediate services for people in crisis or needing urgent medical care (Healthy WA).

Dental emergencies

The Emergency Department does not provide emergency dental services.

Visit Dental Health Services (external site) for information about how to access emergency dental care.

The University of Western Australia Dental School operates an after hours emergency treatment clinic (external site).

Only patients with symptoms will now be required to undertake a rapid antigen tests (RATs) (Healthy WA) on arrival.

These changes are in line with the easing of public health measures and will help keep our patients, staff and the wider community safe from the spread of COVID-19.

Your RAT result helps decide where in the ED you will receive your treatment – it does not change the treatment you receive.

Please be assured you will be triaged as usual by ED staff to assess your condition and the appropriate care will be given.

If you return a positive RAT you will still be treated. ED staff will implement a special care plan to continue to treat you safely. However, you will not be able to have any visitors while you are in the ED to protect them against COVID-19 infection.

If at any time you are unsure of what to do, ask an ED staff member.

Information for support people accompanying ED patients

In line with visitor arrangements for all public hospitals throughout WA, you are allowed a maximum of one support person with you in the ED. If you can make your way to your appointment independently and safely, please do not bring a support person with you to the hospital. Support people will undergo the same screening process as emergency department patients. Visitors must be fully vaccinated to enter and will be required to show proof of vaccination if requested by staff.

Read information for all visitors.

Ambulance arrivals

Ambulance staff will liaise with emergency department staff when admitting patients who have arrived via ambulance.

Please remember, a positive COVID-19 result does not mean you need to present to an emergency department. You should only come to an emergency department if you require urgent medical attention.

Most people will only have mild symptoms that require symptomatic management with simple paracetamol and good hydration. If you require medical assistance during quarantine, you will need to utilise specific COVID health support, which might include WA COVID Care at Home (see below), a telehealth appointment with your GP, or HealthDirect

You should always tell the health support person that you or someone in your household is COVID-19 positive. Read about coming to hospital if you are in COVID-19 isolation or quarantine.

For information about how to care for yourself and your loved ones at home with COVID-19, read Looking after yourself (Healthy WA).

WA COVID Care at Home

WA COVID Care at Home (Healthy WA) delivers free home monitoring care for COVID-positive children and adults in Western Australia who may have risk factors that put them at a greater risk of becoming seriously unwell.

This service is available to anyone in a metropolitan, rural or remote residential setting in WA who has access to a telephone.

You need to register to be considered for WA COVID Care at Home.

For more information, read the FAQs (Healthy WA) or visit the webpage to register (Healthy WA).

Learn more about managing COVID-19 at home (external site).

GP urgent care clinic - not all urgencies are emergencies. Book an appointment

A large network of GP practices within the Perth metropolitan area provide GP urgent care services to patients so they receive the most appropriate care without the need to attend an emergency department.

Minor injuries and illness that can be treated at a GP urgent care clinic include:

  • musculoskeletal and orthopaedic injuries
  • gastrointestinal illnesses
  • illnesses of the eye, ear, nose and throat
  • stings, bites, rashes and wound infections
  • abrasions and minor lacerations.

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 (external site)
  • 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).

Please see the triage nurse first, who will ask questions and assess your condition to determine if your level of priority is:

  • 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.

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.

Other South Metropolitan Health Service emergency departments

Fiona Stanley Hospital

Street address: 11 Robin Warren Drive, Murdoch
Phone: 6152 2222
Read about Fiona Stanley Hospital (external site)

Peel Health Campus

Street address: 110 Lakes Road, Mandurah
Telephone: 9531 8000
Read about Peel Health Campus (external site)

Other metropolitan emergency departments

See 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.

Other services available to assist you if you have an urgent medical condition include:

Location

Rockingham General Hospital is located on Elanora Drive, Cooloongup (external site).

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Aishwarya’s CARE Call

Read what to do if you are worried you or the person you care for is getting sicker while in hospital.

An image of a loveheart with wings at either side and a phone handpiece above. Text next to the image reads Aishwarya's Care Call.

Not all urgencies are emergencies

GP urgent care clinic - not all urgencies are emergencies. Book an appointment

Last Updated: 23/08/2022