Make sure you are seeking the most appropriate care for yourself and your family.

Hospital Emergency Departments must see people with life threatening illnesses first. This means if you are ill or injured the Emergency Department may not be the best option for you.

If your injury or illness is serious, but not an emergency, there are a range of alternative services available which can provide you and your family with faster, more convenient medical care.

This will help you to be seen sooner and allow our busy Emergency departments to focus on their most serious admissions.

Thank you for keeping Emergency for Emergencies

If you need urgent but non-emergency care you can now visit the Mona Vale Hospital Urgent Care Centre. The new centre is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and offers a convenient walk-in service. Urgent care includes injuries such as minor fractures, burns or scalds and minor cuts which need stitches or glue as well as minor illnesses including infections, rashes, mild asthma or chest infections.

Access the Mona Vale Urgent Care Centre flyer here to find out more about the services available here or visit the NSLHD webpage.

Patients with more serious or life-threatening conditions should call triple zero (000) or present to the new 50 space Emergency Department at Northern Beaches Hospital.

In the After Hours period you can phone for a home visiting doctor service that will visit you or a member of your family in your home. Some services offer bulk billing while others require a gap payment. Some Private Health Insurers may also provide a free GP-to-home service to their members.

• National Home Doctor Service: 137425
• Sydney Medical Service Co-operative limited: 1300HOMEGP
• Palliative Care After Hours Helpline: 1800 548 225

• After Hours GP Helpline: 1800 022 222 (24 hours)
• Child Protection Helpline: 132 111 (24 hours)
• Domestic Violence Line: 1800 656 463 (24 hours)
• Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800 (24 hours)
• Lifeline: 13 11 14 (24 hours)
• National Breastfeeding Helpline: 1800 686 268 (24 hours)
• NSW Mental Health Line: 1800 011 511 (24 hours)
• Parentline: 1300 130 052 (24 hours)
• Poisons Information Centre: 13 11 26 (24 hours)
• Carer Gateway: 1800 422 737 (Mon-Fri 8am-6pm)
• Medicines Line: 1300 633 424 or 1300 MEDICINE (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm)
• Mothersafe: 1800 647 848 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm)
• My Aged Care: 1800 200 422 (Mon-Fri 8am-8pm and Sat 10am-2pm)

• Emergency Department waiting times: http://www.emergencywait.health.nsw.gov.au/ (NSW Health)

Healthdirect Smartphone App

Australia’s free health app that helps you make informed decisions about your health.

You can use the healthdirect app to:

• Check your symptoms with the healthdirect Symptom Checker;
• Find a health service when and where you need it; and
• Search for trusted health information.

The healthdirect app includes a Symptom Checker tool which guides you through a series of questions to help you make an informed decision about what to do next. It also connects to an Australia-wide directory covering a range of health services. Easily find the health service you need, when you need it, their contact details and directions from your current location.

All information in the healthdirect app is sourced from Australia’s leading health organisations and has undergone a quality assurance process so people can be assured it is safe, appropriate, and relevant for Australians. It complies with Healthdirect Australia’s Clinical Governance Framework and backed by the governments of Australia.