Emergency Department

The Noosa Hospital Emergency Department is well-equipped with a team of experienced, highly trained doctors and nurses and life-saving technology, available for emergency patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Emergency Department is easily reached from Goodchap Street, Noosaville and parking is available right outside the door.

To contact the Emergency Department phone: 5455 9381

In an emergency, call Triple Zero (000) and ask for an ambulance. 

If it’s not an emergency you may call 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) 24 hours a day. They will advise you on what to do and if you need to go to a GP, pharmacy or emergency department.

Those attended the Emergency Department medical treatment is provided free to Medicare card holders. You will have to pay for services if you do not hold a Medicare card.

Triage – how we assess emergency patients

Emergency departments work on a triage system. This means that when you arrive, an assessment is performed by a triage nurse to see how unwell you are. You will be given a category from 1 to 5.

• Category 1: Immediately life threatening patients
• Category 2: Emergency
• Category 3: Urgent
• Category 4: Semi Urgent
• Category 5: Non-urgent

What happens after your initial triage assessment will vary depending on your medical condition. You will either be taken to a treatment area or asked to go to the waiting room. How long you wait depends on how busy the department is at the time, and the number of patients whose conditions are more serious than yours. Please remember that emergency departments are very busy places and staff do their best to see you as quickly as possible. Even if the waiting room does not appear to be busy, medical staff may be treating patients brought in by ambulance or those with urgent medical needs.

Avoid food and drink

It is important that you don’t eat or drink before being seen. You may need tests or procedures that require you not to eat or drink beforehand. Speak to the triage nurse if you have any questions about this.

Assessment and treatment

A doctor will call you into the department where they will reassess your condition, ask some questions, examine you, and discuss your problem and any tests or treatments that might be required. Feel free to ask questions about your illness and your treatment at the time.

If your problem can be treated in the department, the emergency staff will treat it. They may also suggest treatment at home or by your local doctor. If your problem is more serious or requires special care, you may be admitted into the hospital.

Admission to hospital

The emergency staff will advise that you are to be admitted to hospital if they believe this is the best way to help you. As your admission is unplanned, it may take some time for a hospital bed to be ready. Alternatively, the emergency staff may need to transfer you to another hospital for your treatment. Until then, you are cared for in the emergency department.

If you come to the emergency department, remember:

• your Medicare card
• pension or concession card if you have one
• a list of current medications or the actual medications
• any relevant x-rays, scans, other test results
• your general practitioner’s address and phone number
• food, bottles, nappies, extra clothing and a toy for babies and children
• your mobile phone and charger
• a book or magazine.

Visitors to the emergency department

Visitors are strictly limited in the emergency department for safety and infection control reasons. Special circumstances will be considered at the discretion of the manager. All other visitors are asked to remain at home until your relative is ready to leave.

Going home

If you are taken to the emergency department by ambulance, you will need to ask someone to pick you up, or take a taxi home. Ambulances are only for emergency situations. While they will transport you to hospital if you are sick or injured, they cannot take you home again. Please make an appointment to see your GP to discuss your visit to us and your ongoing care. GP’s play an essential role in co-ordinating your care and following up any ongoing issues. Remember to take your discharge summary with you.

Managing your pain at home

Location & Contact Numbers

Address: 111 Goodchap Street, Noosaville

Noosa Emergency Department: 07 5455 9381

Noosa Hospital front desk: 07 5455 9200

QML pathology: 07 54410200

Lumus imaging: 07 5430 5200

Fracture clinic through Sunshine Coast hospital switchboard: 07 5202 0000

Website: www.noosahospital.com.au

For adult and pediatrics medical factsheets on common conditions please scan this QR code with your mobile device:

Feedback

Visit here https://www.noosahospital.com.au/For-Patients/Feedback

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Dr Karl van der Merwe

Dr Karl van der Merwe is an Emergency Medicine Specialist working as Director in the Noosa ED.

He completed his initial medical degree in Stellenbosch in South Africa before moving to Australia in 2008.

He was attracted to the problem-solving challenges that ED presents and completed his Fellowship of the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine in 2017.

His interests include leadership, management and bringing excellent tertiary level care to smaller departments.

Dr Karl van der Merwe was appointed as Director of Emergency of the Noosa ED in 2022.

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