Department of Health

Clinical trauma advice and retrieval of trauma patients

Key messages

  • Adult Retrieval Victoria and the Paediatric Infant Perinatal Emergency Retrieval Service provide clinical advice, referral and retrieval of trauma patients across the state.
  • Clinical guidelines and trauma education resources are available at Trauma VictoriaExternal Link .

Ambulance services in Victoria are divided into Adult Retrieval and Paediatric Infant and Perinatal Retrievals.

Adult Retrieval Victoria

For all adult (16 years and over) trauma-related clinical and transfer advice contact Adult Retrieval Victoria on 1300 368 661. Or see the Ambulance Victoria websiteExternal Link .

Adult Retrieval Victoria (ARV) is an operational unit of Ambulance Victoria. ARV is responsible for the adult trauma advice line and provides a comprehensive management and coordination service for clinicians treating adult trauma patients. This includes:

  • Telephone advice: Specialist critical care coordinators will advise on the care of critically ill adult patients 24 hours a day.
  • Retrieval of critical and time-critical patients: The practicality and clinical need for retrieval is evaluated and if necessary retrieval will be organised with appropriate clinical staff and transport arranged.
  • Bed coordination: Coordinated access to critical care beds across the state when required.

Paediatric Infant Perinatal Emergency Retrieval service

For all paediatric (0 - 15 years) trauma-related clinical and transfer advice contact the Paediatric Infant Perinatal Emergency Retrieval (PIPER) service on 1300 13 76 50.

PIPER is a statewide 24-hour service that provides emergency referral and retrieval services for high-risk pregnant women, babies and children to ensure timely and equitable access to appropriate levels of maternity, neonatal and paediatric intensive care.

For more information, see PIPERExternal Link on the The Royal Childers Hospital website.

Trauma triage and transfer guidelines

Victorian trauma triage guidelines provide direction and criteria for all health workers involved in assessing major trauma patients.

These guidelines outline the necessary action required to deliver the right patient to the right hospital in the shortest time.

Clinical guidelines for the Victorian State Trauma System are published on the Trauma Victoria websiteExternal Link .

Reviewed 07 December 2023

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