Trauma services

If someone is seriously injured or needs urgent medical help, call Triple Zero (000) and ask for an ambulance or attend an emergency department.

Emergency, trauma and critical care is available at our four hospitals 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Trauma services for adult patients are provided at Royal Adelaide Hospital, Flinders Medical Centre, and Lyell McEwin Hospital. Trauma services for children (<16yrs of age) are provided by the Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

Major trauma centres

Metropolitan trauma centre

  • Northern Adelaide Local Health Network (Lyell McEwin Hospital)

The SA Ambulance Service along with MedSTAR provides rapid pre-hospital trauma and retrieval services in South Australia.

Injury prevention programs

SA Health runs, partners with and/or supports a number of injury prevention programs including:

  • Preventive Health SA leads injury surveillance across South Australia, providing monitoring of injuries and supporting public health initiatives to prevent injuries, with a focus on early years, older populations and other high-risk groups.
  • The P.A.R.T.Y. Program which is a full day interactive trauma prevention program for young Australians.
  • SA Health Falls Prevention Program aims to enhance the independence and wellbeing of older South Australians through reducing preventable fall-related harm. Including information related to Ladder Safety.
  • Kidsafe SA which is dedicated to preventing unintentional deaths and reducing the incidence and severity of injuries to children.

Disaster management programs

Statewide disaster management programs are managed by the Disaster Management Branch of the Department for Health and Wellbeing.