Welcome

The Prince of Wales emergency department operates 24 hours a day, providing care for the acutely ill and injured. The emergency department is not designed to provide ongoing care, which may occur in the appropriate hospital ward, after admission.

The Prince of Wales Hospital emergency department is very busy.

The emergency department reviews its activities regularly as a part of South Eastern Sydney Illawarra Health’s commitment to providing quality care and in keeping with recognised healthcare standards, practices and ethics.

Is it an emergency?

An emergency can be described as an acute or serious illness or injury that would lead to severe complications if not treated quickly
Patients requiring urgent attention will always be seen first
Treatment in the emergency department is based on clinical need and not your time of arrival, financial situation or whether you have health insurance
If your illness or injury is not urgent you may have to wait some time to see a doctor in the emergency department. Alternatively, you can seek care for non-urgent illness or injury through a general practitioner (GP) or after hours medical centre.

What if it isn’t an emergency?

Non-emergency conditions are best treated by a general practitioner (GP) because:

You usually won’t have to wait as long to be seen
It frees up emergency departments to treat genuine emergency cases
general practitioners who you visit regularly will become familiar with your medical history and will get to know you as an individual over time.

GPs can:

Generally treat you for non-urgent illnesses and injuries faster than a Hospital emergency department
Refer you to other health practitioners for such procedures such as x-rays and blood tests
Organise admission to hospital if required, give referrals to specialists and prescribe medications
Many general practitioners work together in group practices or through medical centres which provide extended hours of service.

What should you bring?

If you need to go to the emergency department please bring:

A list of all your tablets and doses. If you do not have time to make a list simply bring your medications with you
The name and phone number of your usual general practitioner (GP) or medical centre
Your Medicare card or passport (if you are not an Australian citizen)
A list of your allergies
Your Medalert bracelet (if you have one)

What happens when you arrive at the emergency department?

When you arrive you should go to the Reception desk where one of the clerical staff will register your name on the Department’s computer system and create a unique computer file for your records

They will:

Ask for your Medicare card or passport (if you are not a citizen of Australia)
Record you contact details
Establish contact details for your usual general practitioner (GP) or medical centre
Ascertain why you require treatment
Record contact details for your work if it is a work-related illness or injury

Clerical staff are responsible for registering essential information regarding your identity. They also deal with issues relating to any charges you may incur as a result of your visit

Care is delivered to all patients regardless of culture, beliefs, conscientious convictions, sexual orientation or disability issues. Your privacy will be respected at all times.

Triage

After your details have been recorded, your file is then given to the Triage Nurse, who will assess your injuries or illness and allocate a priority according to how urgently you require treatment. This system ensures that the sickest patients are treated by doctors first

The triage system exists in all public hospitals throughout Australia and uses a uniform set of criteria to categorise patients for treatment

If your condition gets worse you should tell the Triage Nurse immediately.

What happens when you see the doctor?

Once inside the emergency department you will be looked after by nursing staff and doctors. You may experience further waiting if you need to have an x-ray or other tests, or require a specialist to see you

Your doctor will then decide if you should be admitted to the Hospital for further treatment or if you can return home. Many treatments can now be undertaken at home or through outpatient facilities

If you don’t have to be admitted you will be sent home and other arrangements will be made for your care if necessary. Ongoing treatment at home may be arranged with the support from the hospital or community-based teams and in conjunction with your usual general practitioner.