Doctors are accepting patients from 8am to 4pm and will be treating patients 8am to 6pm, 7 days a week.
Queensland Health, Careflight and Mater Medical Services are working together to provide the doctors needed for the service.
Queensland Health has negotiated these new arrangements in response to a doctor shortage at Caboolture Hospital’s Emergency Department.
We are working hard to recruit more doctors so full emergency department services can resume as soon as possible.
The new arrangements relate only to the Emergency Department at Caboolture Hospital; all other services, including in-patient and maternity care, remain as normal.
For a life threatening emergency, dial 000 and ask the operator for the ambulance service.
Once connected to a QAS Communication Officer they will ask you a series of questions to help identify the nature of the emergency and where you are.
You will be asked
It is important you don't hang up until asked by the operator.
Current computer technology means that the ambulance will already be on its way while the operator is still talking to you.
If necessary, the operator will continue to gather information from you or give you specific pre-arrival instructions to help the patient.
For a non-life threatening condition, phone our 24-hour hotline 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) or attend the Urgent Care Clinic.
Patients with a non-life threatening condition can attend the Urgent Care Clinic (8am – 4pm) or alternatively phone the 24-hour hotline phone service 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84).
This phone line is staffed day and night by Emergency Department nurses. They will ask you questions to determine the severity of your condition and assist you to access the most appropriate health centre or service.
The Emergency Department nurse you speak to will be able to contact an ambulance for you if necessary, or provide details of the location and phone number of the nearest health centre or service.
If your condition is serious, you may be referred to a hospital such as Redcliffe Hospital.
If your condition is less serious you may wish to present to the Caboolture Hospital Urgent Care Clinic, Redcliffe Emergency Department or an alternative Emergency Department in your locality, visit your General Practitioner or consult a service such as a chemist.
If you are transported by Queensland Ambulance, you will be taken to the nearest appropriate hospital. Arriving by ambulance does not necessarily mean you will be treated with greater urgency as emergency cases are always dealt with in order of clinical priority.
Further information regarding access to Queensland Health’s emergency departments is available at http://www.health.qld.gov.au/emergency/default.asp
To manage the additional Emergency Department patients, Redcliffe Hospital is increasing the number of staff and beds available under its flexible bed management policy.
Redcliffe Hospital’s Emergency and Medical Imaging departments are being provided with extra nursing and administrative staff will be added to Redcliffe, as well as additional treatment rooms.
The Queensland Ambulance Service will operate a dedicated patient transport shuttle service between Caboolture and Redcliffe hospitals.
Queensland Health acknowledges that this is a difficult time for the people of Caboolture and for our staff.
Every effort is being made to recruit additional senior medical staff so full emergency department services can resume as soon as possible.
Last updated: 25 January 2006
Last Reviewed: January 2006
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