Before you come to Emergency, consider how urgently you need to see a doctor. Sometimes, accessing treatment in Emergency is not the best option.
Other options to the Emergency Department
There are a range of alternative care providers available in our local area, including after hours.
Priority Primary Care Centres (PPCC) provide free care for urgent but non-life-threatening conditions such as mild infections, fractures and burns, and offer on-site pathology and imaging services.
If you attend RMH Emergency Department with any of these urgent but non-life-threatening conditions, you may be referred to the nearest PPCC for your care.
Visit the Priority Primary Care Centres website to find other nearby locations. Information is available in all languages.
Victorian Virtual Emergency Department
The Victorian Virtual Emergency Department is a free public health service for treating non-life-threatening emergencies.
Access emergency care from anywhere in Victoria, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
You do not require a Medicare card to use this service.
All you need is a device with a camera function and a Victorian postcode to be directly connected via video to doctors and nurse practitioners, who are trained to assist you.
Interpreter services are available for patients who prefer to speak in their own language.
Attend a Specialist Emergency Department
The Royal Victorian Eye & Ear Hospital
Open 24/7 for all patients requiring urgent care related to their eyes, ears, nose, or throat.
The Royal Dental Hospital Melbourne
Dental Emergency department hours
Monday to Friday: 8:30am to 5:00pm.
Weekends and public holidays: 8:30am to 6:00pm.
The Women’s Emergency Care service provides direct clinical care for women with emergency maternity and gynaecology problems, and emergency care for newborns who were born at the Women's and are less than two weeks of age.
The service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Visit your GP or an after-hours doctor service
If it is not an emergency but you need to see a doctor, it may be faster and more convenient for you to see your GP or visit a local medical centre.
The following sites can help you find an appointment with a GP in your local area.
Healthdirect allows you to search for GP, pharmacy, urgent care and other specialty services, with filters for features such as facilities, bulk billing.
Health Engine allows you to search for GP, pharmacy, urgent care and other specialty services, with filters for features such as facilities, bulk billing, practitioner, language spoken and practitioner gender.
HotDoc allows you to search for GP, allied health, specialist and dental services.
Online doctors’ appointments and other services can be accessed via Medmate.
How to find a GP
If you do not have a GP, download our patient information brochure ‘Everybody Needs a GP’ for more information on how to find one.
Contact an after-hours doctor service
National Home Doctor provides after-hours, bulk-billed home visits from a doctor. Call 13 SICK.
DoctorDoctor is a bulk-billed Medicare after-hours medical service providing telehealth and home visits.
Contact Nurse on Call
Nurse on Call is a Victorian phone service providing immediate, expert advice from a registered nurse 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
This service is best where:
- You or someone you care for is feeling unwell
- You are not sure if you should seek medical help
- You are physically a long way away from medical help
- You need advice about health services in your local area
Talk to a pharmacist
Pharmacists and chemists, including after-hours pharmacies, may be able to help diagnose or triage symptoms and refer patients to appropriate medical care professionals.
They can also provide advice on medications, wound care, vaccinations, self-care and lifestyle assessments, medical certificates and advice about children and babies.
You can also search for your local pharmacy or search the Healthdirect Service Finder to locate pharmacies with extended opening hours near you.
Victorian Supercare Pharmacies
Victorian Supercare Pharmacies provide afterhours pharmacy services, 7 days a week.
The nearest Supercare pharmacy to the RMH is the Health Smart Pharmacy Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (phone (03) 9045 9777). Health Smart VCCC is open 24/7, 365 days a year, with a pharmacist on staff at all times.
A registered nurse is available to provide free clinical services/treatment for a range of minor injuries and illnesses, vaccinations, with no appointment or Medicare card required.
The nursing service is available 6 to 10pm, 365 days a year.
Nurses are also able to provide NIP flu and whooping cough vaccinations.
Pharmacists are able to provide advice and over-the-counter treatments as well as medical certificates and can administer vaccines for COVID-19, Influenza, Whooping Cough, MMR, Meningococcal ACYW, Herpes Zoster (Shingrix), HPV (Gardasil-9), and Pneumococcal, with no prescriptions required.
Call a telephone helpline
There are many telephone helplines available for non-urgent medical advice or mental health crisis support. These are generally free or provided at the cost of a local call (some charges may apply to mobile users).
Health lines
Victorian Poisons Information Centre
In the case of a poisoning incident, the Victorian Poisons Information Centre can advise you what first aid is required, whether it is necessary to call an ambulance, to go to the doctor or whether nothing needs to be done. The service operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Mental health lines
Crisis support (24/7)
General support and counselling
For adult survivors of trauma and abuse.
9am to 5pm, 7 days
For those with eating disorders and body image issues.
8am to midnight, 7 days
Free general mental health guidance and advice
8:30am to 5:00pm, Monday to Friday
Support and training for those with a mental illness
10am to 8pm, Monday to Friday
Drug and alcohol support
24/7 telephone counselling and referral to services for people affected by addiction.
Domestic and sexual violence support
Free, 24/7 support for people impacted by domestic, family, or sexual violence.
Youth support
LGBTQIA+ support
To support lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people of all ages.
3pm to midnight, 7 days
Perinatal support
For those suffering from perinatal anxiety and depression.
9:00am to 7:30pm, Monday to Friday
9am to 4pm on Saturdays and public holidays