For Patients and Visitors
The Paediatric Emergency Department cares for more than 20,000 children a year. It is a dedicated area co-located within the Adult Emergency Department, providing urgent medical care to sick and injured children.
What can I expect from the service?
On arrival, the triage nurse will ask for your child’s name, the reason for your visit, medications, allergies and any past history. Your child’s medical condition will then be assessed.
Depending on your child’s condition, you may be taken immediately into a cubicle or asked to take a seat in the paediatric waiting area. Children with life-threatening problems are seen first.
Once in a cubicle, your child will be seen by a nurse and a doctor. They will ask further questions and will examine your child to fully assess the problem. Further tests or treatment may be ordered if required.
You may be advised to keep your child fasted. Please check with your nurse or doctor if you are not certain.
Once your initial assessment and treatment is complete, your child will either be:
- Discharged home with a care plan, this may include specialist outpatient or GP follow up.
- Admitted to Paediatric Short Stay Unit for further observation or treatment
- Admitted to the Northern Children’s Unit
What do I bring/need for my appointment?
You will be asked by our clerical staff to provide contact details, a Medicare card or insurance details. If you have been referred in by your local doctor, please bring the referral letter and any recent test results or x-rays.
For babies, ensure you have nappies, bottles and formula (if formula fed). Please bring your Maternal Child Health Book (the Green Book).
A dummy, teddy or comfort toy can help put your child at ease.
Contact us
In an emergency, call triple zero (000) and ask for an ambulance.
For Health Professionals
Service Overview
The Paediatric Emergency department is a dedicated area co-located within the Adult Emergency department. We see approximately 20,000 unwell and injured children a year. The area is staffed by Paediatric Emergency Consultants, Paediatricians and Paediatric and Emergency trainees.
We have experienced paediatric and emergency nursing staff working with us.
We manage a broad variety of conditions, working closely with our General Paediatric and Paediatric Surgical teams. This includes Paediatric surgery, Orthopaedics and Plastic surgery.
If your patient needs urgent acute care, please contact the Paediatric Emergency department so we can best facilitate your patients care.
Head of Unit:
Dr Loren Sher
Paediatric Emergency Physician
Enquiries:
Northern Hospital switchboard
Telephone + 61 3 8405 8000
- Locations offering this service
- Northern Hospital Epping
