Emergency care

For Medical emergencies:

Call 111

A medical emergency includes chest pain and tightness, difficulty breathing or talking, choking, severe bleeding that won't stop, sudden weakness, fainting or unconsciousness.

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For Medical Emergencies, call 111

Emergency Care

The Emergency Department (ED) at Palmerston North Hospital should be used for critical or life threatening situations. (For example, heavy bleeding, a broken bone, bad burns, chest pain, other severe pain, trouble breathing, head injury or similar...)

The Emergency Department is open 24-hours a day, seven days a week. If you cannot travel to the Emergency Department yourself, you should dial 111 and ask for ‘ambulance’.

If you are concerned about any COVID-19 symptoms you are experiencing, please contact Healthline (for free) on 0800 358 5453 or your General Practice team.

At the Emergency Department

When you arrive at the Emergency Department you will be seen by an experienced emergency nurse who will assess your condition and how quickly you will need to be seen by other health professionals.

Depending on your condition, you may go to other parts of the Emergency Department for further assessment and treatment. Some areas may be busy and you may need to wait in the waiting room under the care of nurses assigned to this area. If you are feeling worse while you are waiting, please speak to the nurse straight away.

How long will I wait?

Patients are not seen on a first-come first-served basis. This is because very ill or injured patients will always be seen first, whatever the order in which you arrive.

Other patients may also go through before you. They may have been referred by their General Practitioner or Nurse Practitioner to a different team and/or they may be going to another area for their assessment and treatment.

Children are treated as quickly as possible. Children will be treated ahead of patients with non-urgent conditions. Please look after your children at all times. Do not leave them unattended.

For Medical emergencies

Call 111

A medical emergency includes chest pain and tightness, difficulty breathing or talking, chocking, severe bleeding that won't stop, sudden weakness, fainting or unconsciousness.

Primary Options for Acute Care Treatments

Some acute care treatments provided in the Emergency Department can also be delivered by a GP or primary healthcare team at one of our local practices. After you have been assessed at ED you may be offered the option to go to a General Practice for treatment for faster treatment closer to your home.

Not everyone in ED will be offered this service. If you are offered and choose acute care treatment at a General Practice you must go to your chosen General Practice within working hours and within four hours of leaving the Emergency Department.