Not sure what to do after hours and you can’t wait until we re-open? Use this guide to decide whether to call 000, go to an Emergency Department or Priority Primary Care Centre, or call NURSE-ON-CALL or our after-hours service.

after hours emergencies

If you need medical care outside of our normal opening hours, you should call 000 if it is life-threatening emergency, or go to the nearest hospital emergency department.

A life-threatening emergency includes whenever the patient has chest pains, uncontrolled bleeding, poisoning, constant vomiting, serious breathing problems, or anything else you deem as life or limb threatening.

The nearest emergency departments to our clinic are:

Virtual Emergency Department

Patients with urgent but non-life-threatening symptoms can register for the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department. You can connect to the VVED from anywhere in Victoria. 

If you are eligible, you will be connected virtually to emergency doctors and nurses who will provide medical advice, from the comfort of your own home or workplace, rather than waiting in a physical ED at a hospital.

As your consultation will be via video, you will need a device with a camera to use this service.

Priority Primary Care Centre

The Victorian Government has set up 27 Priority Primary Care Centres across Victoria, which partner with nearby hospital emergency departments.

They provide free care for people with conditions that require urgent attention but not an emergency response. This includes conditions like mild infections and burns, suspected fractures or broken bones. They also offer pathology and imaging services.

The centres help Victorians who need urgent care get help faster, while keeping our busy emergency departments free for those in critical, life-threatening situations.

They operate accept walk-ups, referrals and pre-booked appointments, and free care is provided even if you do not have a Medicare card.

The nearest Priority Primary Care Centre to our clinic is the Prahran Priority Primary Care Centre, at 4/20 Commercial Road, Melbourne (across the road from The Alfred). It is open 8am to midnight, 7 days week. Bookings via phone (03) 9119 1055 or online.

A similar service is available in support of Sandringham Hospital, known as Sandringham Ambulatory Care Centre. Bookings are not available - simply present at the hospital’s emergency department at 193 Bluff Rd, Sandringham VIC 3191, and you may be triaged to SACC. Phone (03) 9119 1000.

DOCTOR DOCTOR: IN-home AFTER-HOURS MEDICAL CARE

If you need medical care which is not an emergency but cannot wait until we re-open, you can call our out-of-hours service, known as Doctor Doctor, on 13 26 60.

They are available:

  • before 8am every day;

  • after 6pm Monday to Friday;

  • after 12 noon on Saturdays;

  • all day on Sunday and public holidays.

All patients with a Medicare or DVA card are bulk billed. They offer telehealth consultations, and can follow up with a visit to you at home if necessary.

They will send us a report of your visit the next day, so we are kept up-to-date.

If you call us out-of-hours, you can press 1 to be automatically connected to Doctor Doctor.  

nurse on call

If you have questions about a medical issue, you can call the NURSE-ON-CALL helpline on 1300 60 60 24 for advice and assistance.

NURSE-ON-CALL is a phone service that provides immediate, expert health advice from a registered nurse, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Supercare Pharmacies

Supercare Pharmacies are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with a private consulting room and free registered nursing service on site from 6 pm to 10 pm, everyday.

Click here to learn more and to find the Supercare Pharmacy closest to you.