What is Trauma and Illness?

Trauma and Illness includes the following range of emergency response services:

  1. Ambulance and aeromedical retrieval services
  2. Emergency departments (ED)
  3. Hospital acute care.

These services are focused on treating patients who present with unexpected trauma and illness. Patients accessing these services often require urgent and immediate access to care.

In addition to the above, Queensland Health offers unplanned care for non-life-threatening conditions at minor injury and illness clinics, and through the Queensland Virtual Emergency Care Service (VECS).

Do you need Emergency care now?

When to go to the Emergency department

If you’re not sure if your medical condition is an emergency

Trauma and Illness care patient journey

The following infographic provides a summary of some of the key events in a patient's visit to an ED, including different methods of arrival and departure.A patient journey map for a patient ariving to an ermergency department including arrival by ambulance of walk in, triage and treatment and departure, admission or transfer. The map includes labels for where key performance measures occur including the patient transfer time, wait time and total length of stay.

Measuring performance in Trauma and Illness

Queensland Health is committed to providing all patients with timely, effective and world-class healthcare. The Queensland Health Performance and Accountability Framework is designed to ensure that Queensland’s public health services are monitored effectively to improve the healthcare system, optimise resources and provide better experiences and outcomes for patients.

When assessing performance within Trauma and Illness, a range of measurable indicators that consider the efficiency, effectiveness and equitable access to emergency care are continually monitored and analysed.

To view the performance reporting of Trauma and Illness for the following services, click the links below:

  • Emergency care

    Emergency care includes a range of critical and urgent services to help Queenslanders with unplanned medical conditions, including services provided at hospital Emergency departments (ED) and Minor Injury and Illness Clinics.

  • Ambulance

    Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) operates as a statewide service within Queensland Health and delivers pre-hospital ambulance response services, emergency and non-emergency pre-hospital patient care and transport services, inter-facility ambulance transport, casualty room services, and planning and coordination of multi-casualty incidents and disasters.

Alternative models of care

Queenslanders can seek unplanned urgent care for non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries through a number of different locations, both physical and online.

These locations provide walk-in (or click-on), care for illnesses and injuries not anticipated to be life-threatening in nature, such as simple fractures, simple infections, toothaches, minor burns and minor head injuries.

Read more about these models of care below, and click the links to find out more information and how to access each service:

  • Satellite hospitals

    The Satellite Hospital Program (SHP) includes 7 new facilities to support public healthcare. Each satellite hospital has a Minor Injury and Illness Clinic with medical imaging and diagnostic services. These clinics provide walk-in, urgent care for illnesses and injuries not anticipated to be life-threatening in nature. Click to view a list of satellite hospital locations.

  • Virtual Emergency Care Service

    The Virtual Emergency Care Service (VECS) is a statewide service staffed by doctors and nurses which allows Queenslanders to access virtual unplanned and emergency care. Queenslanders are directed to complete Healthdirect Australia’s symptom checker tool, which will ensure they are given the best care option for their condition. This may include VECS but it may also include Minor Injury and Illness Clinics, GPs or the Emergency department.

  • Medicare Urgent Care Clinics

    Medicare Urgent Care Clinics (UCCs) are clinics available for all Medicare card holders to receive bulk-billed care without an appointment or referral. UCCs are staffed by highly trained medical professionals, and provide culturally safe, equitable and accessible care to all people, including vulnerable and young people. UCCs are open early and late, every day of the year. Find opening hours and locations here.

Last updated: August 2024