Overview
At the Emergency Department we see and treat most urgent conditions. For non-urgent conditions, there are general practitioners (GPs) located near the hospital who are available until late in the evening. If you are unsure about your condition, or you are concerned about a family member, come to the Emergency Department.
You do not need a referral to attend the Emergency Department. However, if you have seen a GP and they have referred you to the Emergency Department, please bring the referral letter and any tests or x-rays you have completed. If you require specialist treatment, you may be referred to another health specialist to ensure you receive the right care.
In a medical emergency, call 000. If you are feeling unwell, see your local GP or go to your local hospital Emergency Department for help.
If you’re unwell or your condition isn’t urgent you can:
- visit your local doctor, or a GP clinic offering after hours appointments
- seek advice from a pharmacist about your general health or medications
- contact the free Nurse On Call service any time.
If you come into the Emergency Department (ED) when it is not an emergency, you could wait for a long time to be seen.
Related services
Getting here
Find us at:
300 Princes Highway
Werribee Victoria 3030
For more information on getting here, visit Emergency Department or find out more about Werribee Mercy Hospital.
On-site signage and indicators
Look for the Emergency Department signs on-site.
How can people get access?
You can access the Emergency Department via Princes Highway. Car parking in front of the Emergency Department is a 15-minute drop-off zone only.
During the day, you can access the Emergency Department via the main hospital entrance. After hours, you can access the Emergency Department via the Princes Highway entrance.
Opening hours
The Emergency Department operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Your appointment
What to do before
The Emergency Department does not operate on an appointment system. Patients are seen according to the severity of their complaint. This process is called ‘triage’. Find out more about the triage process.
What to bring
- Medicare card
- Health Care card (if you have one)
- Concession card (if you have one)
- Adverse drug alert card (if you have one)
- Medications you are currently taking, including any that you have bought without a prescription
- X-ray films, scans, ultrasounds or any other test results you have which are related to your condition
- Private health insurance card (if you want to use it)
- Aids (glasses, hearing aid, walking frame)
What to expect on the day
Please be aware that patients with serious health problems will be seen first.
On arrival at the Emergency Department, you will be assessed by an experienced triage nurse who will assign you to a category depending on the clinical urgency of your condition. This process is called ‘triage’.
Please note:
Depending on how busy the department is, waiting times may increase.
More information
Team Composition
In the Emergency Department, you may be supported by:
- specialist emergency doctors
- specialist emergency nurses
- clerical staff
- patient service assistants
- Emergency Department care coordinators including nurses, physiotherapists, and a drug and alcohol service.
What questions should you ask
You may like to ask about alternative medical centres if your condition is not urgent. You can find a list of local GPs and pharmacies at triage.
Health Direct - Find a health service
- Website: Health service finder
-
About:
Find a list of GPs in your area by using this online service finder.
Discharge information
After your time at the Emergency Department, a letter will be sent to your GP or preferred medical centre. The letter will inform them of your presentation to the Emergency Department and any treatment you received.
Additional support
Please make a follow-up appointment with your GP shortly after your visit to the Emergency Department.
Opportunities to be involved in research
There are opportunities to be involved in research.
For health professionals
The Emergency Department is a 24 hour service, providing urgent assessment and advice for people of all ages, presenting with most conditions.
Learn more about:
- capability framework for the Werribee Mercy Hospital Emergency Department.
- the capability framework for paediatrics at the Werribee Mercy Hospital Emergency Department.
The information is updated quarterly to keep you informed.
Procedural information
You can contact the ED consultants by calling the Werribee Mercy Hospital main reception at 03 8754 3000. The ED consultants are usually available to GP’s for questions relating to emergency patient management. Consultants on duty are also expected to be involved in patient care so whilst they aim to answer calls promptly, on occasion this may not be possible.
The Emergency Department at Werribee Mercy Hospital does not have access to the following:
- Catheter laboratory
- MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
- Acute Gastrointestinal scoping
- Interventional radiology
- EEG (electroencephalogram)
How to prepare the patient
Making a referral - Werribee Mercy Hospital Emergency Department
-
Phone numbers:
Making a referral - Werribee Mercy Hospital Emergency Department
03 8754 3000
6.30am—8.30pm Monday to Friday
8am—8.30pm Saturday, Sunday and public holidays
-
About:
- Please ask to speak to the ED Consultant or Senior Doctor in charge.
- Remember to provide your patient with a comprehensive referral letter to accompany the patient along with results from all recent investigations including pathology results, X-ray results and film.
What/when you should refer to us
Referrals to the Emergency Department include:
- self-referrals
- general practitioner (GP) referrals
- mental health clinical referrals
- police referrals.
What/when you should not refer to us
The Emergency Department is available to everyone. Any non-urgent conditions should be seen by a GP.
Contacts
Contacts at this hospital
Maternity Reception at Werribee Mercy Hospital
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Phone numbers:
Maternity Reception at Werribee Mercy Hospital
03 8754 3400
24 hours, 7 days a week
- Website: Maternity Assessment Unit (MAU)
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Address:
Maternity and Neonatal Services entrance, Werribee Mercy Hospital
300 Princes Highway
Werribee Victoria 3030
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About:
You should phone maternity services during your pregnancy if:
- you are pregnant, over 20 weeks, and have pregnancy related concerns
- think you are in labour or your waters (membranes) have broken
- have concerns about your recovery, up until four weeks after your baby is born
Main Reception at Werribee Mercy Hospital
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Phone numbers:
Main Reception at Werribee Mercy Hospital
03 8754 3000
6.30am—8.30pm Monday to Friday
8am—8.30pm Saturday, Sunday and public holidays
-
About:
Please call this number for all general enquires regarding Werribee Mercy Hospital services & patient enquires.
For patients
NURSE-ON-CALL
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Phone numbers:
NURSE-ON-CALL
1300 60 60 24
24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- Website: NURSE-ON-CALL - health.vic
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About:
NURSE-ON-CALL is a phone service that provides immediate, expert health advice from a registered nurse.
If you think your situation is an emergency, you should always call 000 or go to an emergency department at a hospital.
Call for the cost of a local call from anywhere in Victoria for health advice 24 hours a day (calls from mobile phones may be charged at a higher rate).
NURSE-ON-CALL puts you directly in touch with a registered nurse for caring, professional health advice around the clock. You may need us when:
– you or someone you’re caring for is feeling unwell
– you are not sure if you should seek medical help
– you’re away from home or situated a long way from medical help
– you simply want advice or information about health services in your area.What happens when I call for advice?
Step 1 – a registered nurse will answer your call and collect some basic details.Step 2 – the nurse will then ask you a series of questions about your symptoms and other issues relating to your health.
Step 3 – at the end of the call the nurse may suggest ways you can care for yourself, advise you to contact a GP or, in the event that your condition is very serious, transfer the call to 000. Note that nurses do not provide a full diagnosis of your symptoms.
NURSE-ON-CALL uses the most up-to-date health information available, giving you and your family the highest quality advice. All information you provide remains confidential and records are fully secure.
Mental Health Triage
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Phone numbers:
Mental Health Triage
1300 657 259
24 hours, 7 days a week
- Website: Mercy Mental Health Triage
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About:
If you are experiencing mental distress or you are seeking treatment for a mental health problem, please phone the triage line
For emergencies requiring immediate assistance, call 000.
You may need to leave a message on an answering service and the triage worker will return your call as soon as possible.
Lifeline
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Phone numbers:
Lifeline
131 114
24 hours, 7 days a week
- Website: lifeline.org.au
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About:
Lifeline is a national charity providing all Australians experiencing a personal crisis with access to 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention services.
What happens when you call 13 11 14
Our trained Telephone Crisis Supporters will answer your call and:Listen to your situation
Provide immediate support
Assist to clarify options and choices available to you
Provide you with referral information for other services in your local area.
Your call will be answered as soon as possible by the next available crisis supporter. If your call isn’t answered straight away, it means we are experiencing high demand for our service and helping other Australians in need.Please stay on the line or call back later.
If you are in immediate danger call 000.
Health Direct - Find a health service
- Website: Health service finder
-
About:
Find a list of GPs in your area by using this online service finder.
For health professionals
Making a referral - Werribee Mercy Hospital Emergency Department
-
Phone numbers:
Making a referral - Werribee Mercy Hospital Emergency Department
03 8754 3000
6.30am—8.30pm Monday to Friday
8am—8.30pm Saturday, Sunday and public holidays
-
About:
- Please ask to speak to the ED Consultant or Senior Doctor in charge.
- Remember to provide your patient with a comprehensive referral letter to accompany the patient along with results from all recent investigations including pathology results, X-ray results and film.
HealthPathways Melbourne
- Email address: [email protected]
- Website: HealthPathways Melbourne
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About:
HealthPathways Melbourne provides clinicians with a single website to access clinical and referral pathways, and resources. Pathways are created by local GPs, working in partnership with specialists, nurses, allied health and other health professionals.
Mercy Health recommends clinicians to access HealthPathways Melbourne for guidance in assessing, managing and referring for patient conditions (login required).
Referrals to outpatient clinics at Mercy Health will be triaged against clinical information and investigations based on these guidelines.
Referrals that do not meet the required clinical information and investigations will not be accepted.
HealthPathways Melbourne is available for free to health professionals working in the North Western Melbourne and Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network catchments.
Email HealthPathways to request access or if you need to confirm your username and password.
Statewide Referral Criteria for Specialist Clinics - Victoria
- Website: Statewide Referral Criteria
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About:
The Department of Health and Human Services has developed statewide referral criteria to assist GPs and clinicians referring patients to specialist clinics. These referral criteria have been developed to improve access to specialist clinics in public hospitals by improving the quality and appropriateness of referrals.
Emergency care in Victoria - DHHS
- Website: Emergency care in Victoria
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About:
Learn more about how Emergency Departments are governed by Key Performance Indicators set by the Department of Health and Human Services.
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