- Cook Government launches WAVEDKids for Western Australian children
- Parents and carers who call Healthdirect for their children may receive a virtual consult
- WAVEDKids supports faster, more accessible emergency care for Western Australian families, so they can get the care they need, when they need it
- More than 10,000 virtual consults have now been provided by WAVED since it launched
Families right across Western Australia now have access to paediatric emergency care from the comfort of their own home, with the WA Virtual Emergency Department (WAVED) expanding to care for children.
The Cook Government has launched WAVEDkids, through an expansion of the successful WAVED initiative, as part of its plan to improve access to emergency care by delivering alternatives to emergency departments
Under the initiative, parents and carers who call Healthdirect on 1800 022 222, may be offered a WAVEDKids consult instead of being directed to an emergency department (ED).
Healthdirect will connect that patient to an appointment with a senior emergency nurse and then a doctor at WAVEDKids.
WAVEDkids is delivered by the same senior doctors and nurses who care for children in our EDs, ensuring patients receive expert advice.
The service is being launched in a staged approach and is currently available State-wide on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 10.30am - 8.00pm. The service will progressively expand to meet demand.
WAVED has now delivered more than 10,000 virtual consults since its launch, with around 70 per cent of patients able to remain at home.
The initiative is delivered through the State Health Operations Centre and is a key part of the Cook Government's commitment to modernising healthcare and improving outcomes for all Western Australians.
This expansion forms part of the Government's strategy to ensure more people can get timely, safe care in the community while keeping emergency departments available for those who need them most.
As stated by Health Minister Meredith Hammat:
"This is about making emergency care more accessible, especially for families with young children.
"I know firsthand the challenges that come with having a child that's too unwell to wait to see a GP, but may not be sick enough to need to visit a physical emergency department.
"WAVEDKids will allow for more parents to dial before they drive, and if their child's emergency is deemed suitable for a WAVEDKids consult, they can receive senior emergency care from their own bed, where they'll be most comfortable.
"By connecting patients to emergency doctors and nurses virtually, we're ensuring they get the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
"WAVED is transforming how we deliver emergency care in WA. It's safe, efficient, and patient-centred and it's helping to keep our emergency departments available for those who need them most - and supporting our frontline health staff."
