In an emergency phone Triple Zero (000)
If your injury or illness is not an emergency, call 1800 022 222 or refer to the list below for other options.
There are many well-resourced virtual and in-person services for urgent (but not life threatening) care.
If you go to an Emergency Department for non-emergency treatment, the Triage Nurse may suggest you access a different care service. This may save you considerable time.
| Name | Cost | Hours | Contact |
VVED(Victorian Virtual Emergency Department) |
Free |
24 hours, 7 days |
This service is offered online only Refer to FAQs for more |
UFS Urgent Care(Priority Primary Care Centre) |
Free for everyone with or without a Medicare Card |
10am to 10pmEvery day including weekends and public holidays. |
Ground Floor,
|
|
Health Direct |
Free |
24 hours, 7 days |
1800 022 222 |
|
St John of God Hospital Emergency Department |
An out-of-pocket fee applies to most visits. |
24 hours, 7 days. |
Access from Mair Street (opposite Anticline Lane) Ph: 5320 2111 |
|
Nurse on Call (Telephone service) |
Free for everyone with or without a Medicare Card |
24 hours, 7 days |
1300 60 60 24 |
|
National Home Doctor (Telephone service) |
Bulk-billed for eligible Medicare card holders. |
Booking lines open
|
13SICK (137 425) |
|
Doctors on Demand (Online service) |
An out-of-pocket fee applies to most appointments. |
24 hours, 7 days |
General Practitioners & Medical Centres
Find your closest doctor or other medical service on healthdirect.gov.au
Link to Services in the Ballarat area
Helplines
- Pregnancy Birth and Baby hotline - 1800 882 436
- Victorian Poisons Information Centre - 131 126
- Mental health support:
Lifeline 13 11 14 or www.lifeline.org.au
Beyond Blue 1300 224 636 or www.beyondblue.org.au
When you come into the Emergency Department you will be seen by a Triage Nurse - this nurse is highly skilled and will decide how urgently you need to be seen.
To help make this decision, the Triage Nurse will perform routine checks and will ask about symptoms, and your medical history, including:
- Previous health problems
- Current medications
- Recent overseas travel
- Allergies
- If you are pregnant or breastfeeding
- Other relevant information you think we should know about
You may be asked to sit in the waiting room or you may be taken to another area for treatment.
If you do not need emergency care, the Triage Nurse may also suggest you seek treatment at a service outside Grampians Health.
The Emergency Department is often extremely busy, and wait times can be more than 4 hours.
The number of patients in the waiting room does not indicate how busy we are. Remember, there may be patients arriving by ambulance.
If the Triage Nurse suggests an alternative care service, this may save you significant time in our waiting room.
The waiting room is a busy space with unwell people. Please remember to be quiet and courteous and do not eat or drink in the waiting area.
Please note: Our staff will not tolerate any form of violence or aggression.
You may choose to leave the Emergency Department at any time, but we ask that let our staff know before you go.
Discharge
When you leave a hospital after treatment, you go through a process called hospital discharge.
A hospital will discharge you when you no longer need to receive inpatient care and can go home. Or, a hospital will discharge you and send you to another service or facility.
When it is time to go, please ensure you've collected all your belongings before you leave, including x-rays, medications and any medical documents you might need including medical certificates.
If you are picking up someone who is being discharged, please ensure you arrive on time. When a patient is not discharged on time, the flow of patients through the hospital is interrupted and slowed down.
You can also provide feedback about your experience by completing the feedback form: https://www.bhs.org.au/contact-us/
Emergency Department: Ballarat Base Hospital
Location
1 Drummond Street North
Ballarat VIC 3350
Directions
Enter Emergency Department from Mair Street (near corner of Drummond Street)
Phone
Opening Hours
24 hours 7 Days | In an emergency contact 000
Horsham Emergency Department
Location
83 Baillie Street
Horsham VIC 3400
Phone
Opening Hours
24 hours 7 Days | In an emergency contact 000
Stawell Urgent Care Centre
Location
27-29 Sloane Street
Stawell VIC 3380
Phone
Opening Hours
24 hours 7 Days | In an emergency contact 000
Edenhope Urgent Care Centre
Location
128-134 Elizabeth Street
Edenhope VIC 3318
Directions
Entry via the front door until 5.00pm. Entry after 5.00pm is by an emergency buzzer at the front door.
Phone
Opening Hours
24 hours 7 Days | In an emergency contact 000
GoodSAM app
GoodSAM is a free global smartphone app that alerts responders to someone nearby in cardiac arrest. GoodSAM is linked to the Triple Zero (000) communications centre, so as soon as an ambulance is dispatched, a GoodSAM alert will notify you.
Have something to tell us? We welcome all feedback from patients, family members or carers. Tell us more.