Current wait status
Last checked 5:00 am AEST, 2 Oct
8
Patients waiting
NSW Health's live feed gives the number of patients waiting for treatment. It does not give a wait time for this emergency department.
About Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital is one of Australia's leading tertiary referral and teaching hospitals, serving the inner-west Sydney population. Affiliated with the University of Sydney, it is recognised for specialised services including organ transplantation and cardiothoracic surgery. Its emergency department is among the busiest in New South Wales.
Hospital details
Nearby emergency departments
Nearby Medicare Urgent Care Clinics
For urgent but not life-threatening problems (sprains, minor fractures, small wounds, acute infections), a walk-in Medicare Urgent Care Clinic is bulk billed and usually faster than an ED:
- Marrickville Medicare Urgent Care ClinicMarrickville, 3km
- Burwood Medicare Urgent Care ClinicBurwood, 7km
- Maroubra Medicare Urgent Care ClinicMaroubra, 8km
When you might not need the ED
If you are visiting Royal Prince Alfred Hospital ED for any of the following, a telehealth GP consultation, bulk billed if you're Medicare eligible, may be faster and more convenient:
- Repeat prescriptions or new scripts (sent as eScripts to your phone)
- Medical certificates for work, university, or carer's leave
- Specialist, pathology, or imaging referrals
- Cold, flu, or minor illness treatment
- Mental health support
- Sexual health consultations
NewDoc telehealth consultations are bulk billed for eligible Medicare patients, with no out-of-pocket cost. Same-day appointments are available 7 days a week.
Skip the wait. See a GP from home.
For non-emergency concerns like coughs, colds, scripts, and referrals. Book a telehealth consult with a qualified GP, bulk billed if you're Medicare eligible.
Or call NewDoc on 0485 049 710
NewDoc is an independent telehealth service. This number does not reach Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
Related services
Frequently asked questions
How accurate are the wait times shown for Royal Prince Alfred Hospital?
The data is sourced directly from NSW Health and updated hourly. NSW Health's live feed gives the number of patients waiting for treatment. It does not give a wait time for this emergency department. Actual waits can change rapidly depending on the severity of incoming cases and ED capacity. The numbers shown are a snapshot, not a guarantee.
Why does it sometimes show zero patients waiting?
A reading of zero means that at the time of the last data update, no triaged patients were recorded as waiting. This can happen briefly between shift changes, data refreshes, or during quieter periods. It does not necessarily mean the ED is empty, patients already being treated are not counted as waiting.
What does the demand level (Low / Medium / High) mean?
The demand level is an estimate based on the number of patients waiting relative to the size of the emergency department. A large hospital with 20 patients waiting may show Low demand, while a small hospital with the same number may show High. It indicates how busy the ED is compared to its usual capacity, not how long you will wait.
Should I use this to decide whether to go to the ED?
If you are experiencing a medical emergency, always call 000 or go to your nearest emergency department immediately. This page is for general information only. For non-emergency conditions like prescriptions, medical certificates, or referrals, a telehealth GP consultation, bulk billed if you're Medicare eligible, may be faster and more convenient.
Data sourced from NSW Health. Wait times are indicative and may not reflect your actual wait. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 000.