St V’s ED ALERT team

Our ALERT care coordination team at St Vincent’s Melbourne are available seven days a week (M-F 0730-2100hrs, weekend 0830-2100hrs) to provide social support, allied health input and discharge planning to ED patients. They also recruit clients in the community to address health and social needs in vulnerable client groups.

If you are concerned about someone’s vulnerability out of hours please discuss their case with a senior doctor and consider admission to ESS for ALERT/AHLO review in the morning. However, it may not always be feasible for someone to stay in the ED in which case the treating clinician should endeavour to offer support prior to discharge. There is an after hours form at the ALERT desk (or write any form of a note!) & secure it at the ALERT desk for them to provide follow up. Please write patient details, contact number and check that it will be safe to call them post discharge.

Safe Steps and St Kilda Crisis Centre are 24/7 services that can also be contacted after hours for advice or assistance. ALERT keeps a number of key service brochures near their desk which you are welcome to give out (ie: DirectLine, Launch, St Kilda Crisis Centre, Safe Steps).