Current wait status
Last checked 5:30 pm AEDT, 6 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 Shoalhaven District Memorial Hospital
Shoalhaven District Memorial Hospital in Nowra is the main acute hospital for the Shoalhaven region, run by Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District. It provides emergency care along with medical, surgical and orthopaedic services, an intensive care unit, a children's ward, a maternity unit and a regional cancer care centre.
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:
- Nowra Medicare Urgent Care ClinicNowra, 79m
- Shellharbour Medicare Urgent Care ClinicBarrack Heights, 42km
- Dapto Medicare Urgent Care ClinicDapto, 46km
When you might not need the ED
If you are visiting Shoalhaven 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 online.
For non-emergency concerns, a telehealth GP can help. Bulk billed if you're Medicare eligible, so $0 out of pocket.
Or call NewDoc on 0485 049 710
NewDoc is an independent telehealth service. This number does not reach Shoalhaven District Memorial Hospital.
Related services
Frequently asked questions
How accurate are the wait times shown for Shoalhaven 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.