WA Health provides accessible up-to-date information on activity in Perth metropolitan emergency departments as well as hospital beds in Perth and the country. WA Health is committed to providing transparent and accountable reporting on health system performance to the community and WA Health staff.
Information provided here serves as a guide only. Patients are advised at all times that they are to attend their nearest emergency department if they require urgent medical attention. Patients are always seen in order of clinical urgency.
Overview of emergency departments
The emergency department (ED) is a hospital or primary health care service that provides initial treatment to patients with a broad spectrum of illnesses and injuries, some of which may be life-threatening and require immediate attention. EDs provide rapid assessment and management of critical illnesses.
Upon arrival in the ED, people usually undergo a brief triage, or interview, to help determine the nature and severity of their illness.
Individuals with serious illnesses are then seen by a physician more rapidly than those with less severe symptoms or injuries. Guidelines on how patients are assessed and treated in the emergency department can be found at Australasian College of Emergency Medicine (external website, PDF 693KB). After initial assessment and treatment, patients are either admitted to the hospital, stabilised and transferred to another hospital for various reasons, or discharged (Australasian College of Emergency Medicine).
ED activity has been steadily increasing over the past few years. This is consistent with trends across Australia and overseas. There are record numbers of people presenting for emergency care or elective treatment, placing increasing demands on our hospital services.
In order to meet these demands there are various programs in place to continue to meet the needs of our communities, including:
- ensuring there are sufficient medical, nursing, allied health, administration and operational staff
- providing necessary equipment and infrastructure
- making beds available
- introduction of initiatives to meet community demand for hospital care.
Feedback
Patients wishing to provide feedback to pre-hospital care provider St John Ambulance Western Australia should visit the St John Ambulance feedback complaints page (external site) or phone 9334 1222.