In the event of a life threatening emergency, call Ambulance Victoria on 000.
Urgent Care
We offer 24-hour nurse-led urgent care at our sites in Jeparit, Kaniva, Nhill and Rainbow. Directions and contact details for each location are outlined below.
Our Urgent Care Centres are designed to treat illnesses or injuries that do not appear to be life-threatening but also cannot wait until the next day for a GP appointment. For example, deep wounds, cuts or lacerations, allergic reactions, suspected fractured or broken bones, minor burns, difficulty breathing, chest pain or tightness, fever, muscular sprains, insect and animal bites, and severe body pain and bleeds.
In the event of a life-threatening emergency, call Ambulance Victoria on 000.
Triage process
Upon arrival, you will undergo assessment by nurses, and suitable courses of action will be taken to ensure your care. Depending on the circumstances, you may not need to be seen by a Doctor. If a Doctor is required, the local GP may be called to come in, or alternatively the nurse may consult with My Emergency Doctor, which means you will be seen by a Doctor virtually via video call.
Patients are attended to based on the severity of their condition, which may result in longer wait times. It's important to be aware that the wait time may exceed expectations, and the order of service is determined by the urgency of medical needs. To ensure prioritised care for the most critical cases, we use a triage system that is based on the Australasian Triage Scale.
Other urgent care options
The Victorian Virtual Emergency Department allows you to access care for non-life-threatening emergencies, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You will be connected to doctors and nurses via a video call, and receive medical advice from the comfort of your home. For more information, go to their website: vved.org.au
My Emergency Doctor provides access to doctors via phone and video. For more information, visit their website: myemergencydr.com
Ambulance Transfers from Our Urgent Care Centres
If you attend a West Wimmera Health Service Urgent Care Centre and need to be transferred to another hospital for further treatment, you may be responsible for the cost of the ambulance transfer.
Eligibility for funded ambulance transport depends on your individual circumstances. Patients with a Pensioner Concession Card, Health Care Card, Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) card, or those covered by the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) or Victorian WorkCover Authority (VWA) may be eligible for funded transport.
If you do not hold one of these entitlements, ambulance transfer costs may apply unless you have Ambulance Victoria membership or private health insurance that includes ambulance cover.
We encourage all community members to understand their ambulance cover to avoid unexpected costs if a hospital transfer is required.
Please visit the Ambulance Victoria website to find out more about membership and ambulance cover options.
