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Women’s and Children’s Hospital
Acknowledgement
The Women's and Children's Hospital is located on the traditional lands for the Kaurna people, and we respect their spiritual relationship with their Country. We also acknowledge that the Kaurna people are the custodians of the Adelaide region, and that their cultural and heritage beliefs are still as important to the living Kaurna people today.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website may contain images, voices and names of people who have passed away.

Coming to the WCH

Paediatric Emergency Department 1

We know that being in hospital can be stressful for adults and children. We aim to make your stay at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital as comfortable as possible and to ensure that your needs are met.

On this page:

Visitor guidelines during COVID-19 Preparing for surgery – Children Bringing your medicines to hospital

We encourage you to ask any questions and discuss any concerns that you have.

The hospital is located at 72 King William Road, North Adelaide. There are car parks and entrances to the hospital on Kermode Street and the corner of Brougham Place and Sir Edwin Smith Avenue. Before you visit the hospital you may wish to familiarise yourself with the map of the hospital or a street map of the surrounding area.

Information for people from outside Adelaide may also be of use.

The Women's and Children's Health Network (WCHN) is committed to quality health care, and respects your right to be involved in decision-making about your or your family members' medical treatment.

The WCH is a smoke-free hospital. Please do not smoke in or near our buildings.

For information about our many departments, please visit the A–Z services listing on this site.

For more specific information about services for women or children, please visit WCH for women or WCH for children.

Visitor guidelines during COVID-19

Visitor restrictions

If you are COVID-19 positive:

  • Don't visit the WCH for at least 7 days following a positive test and not until all acute symptoms have cleared

If you are a close contact:

  • Don't visit the WCH for at least 7 days
  • Don't visit if you are unwell and seek testing as advised by SA Health.

Visitor restrictions

  • No visitor restrictions for general WCH inpatients
  • No visitor restrictions on palliative care, end of life or critically unwell inpatients
  • A limit of 2 visitors for COVID-19 positive inpatients
  • A limit of 1 visitor for paediatric emergency and outpatients departments
  • A limit of 2 visitors for delivery, postnatal and antenatal/gynae wards
  • A limit of 2 visitors for neonates/neonatal ICU inpatients
  • A limit of 2 visitors for PICU inpatients
  • A limit of 2 visitors for children’s oncology ward inpatients.

Please continue to take safety measures to manage the risk of infection, including washing your hands, maintaining social distancing and wearing a mask in appropriate areas.

Speak with your care team to request an exemption to any of these restrictions.

Vaccination requirements

There are currently no vaccination requirements for patients or visitors.

Face masks

All visitors over 12 years old must wear a mask while in treatment spaces at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital, including waiting areas. Surgical masks are available on entry to the hospital, and we ask that visitors do not wear cloth masks.

For more information on mask wearing, go to:

Elective surgery

Elective surgeries for paediatric patients are continuing at the Women's and Children's Hospital.

You will be contacted directly to discuss rescheduling elective surgery as required.

Patient screening for COVID-19

From Monday 12 September 2022, all patients scheduled for surgery no longer require a PCR swab before their admission.

Instead, those booked for elective surgery will be contacted by their surgical team the day before their procedure for an individual assessment.

This will be used for both Paediatric and Women’s patients.

Those requiring emergency surgery will be assessed prior to their operation.

If you have any symptoms of COVID-19 prior to your admission you should continue to adhere to the latest SA Health advice and seek appropriate testing.

Food outlets

Our on-site food outlets, the PlayDeck Café and Café on Level 2 are operating as normal.

Rainbows Shop

Rainbows is now open, with a limited menu

Rainbows Shop is situated in the Kermode Street foyer. The shop sells a variety of freshly made food and drinks including sandwiches, snack foods and barista-made coffee. It also sells flowers, gifts, cards, magazines and toys.

Opening Hours: Monday to Friday: 7:00am – 4.30pm (closed on weekends and public holidays)

If you would like to support our Friends by giving a donation, please visit their website.

Vic's Coffee Shop

Update, Monday 11 July – Vic's Coffee Shop is now open!

Vic's Coffee Shop is situated in the Queen Victoria Building foyer. Vic's sells a variety of freshly made food and drinks including sandwiches, snacks and barista-made coffee. It also sells Metrocards, flowers, gifts, magazines, toiletries and baby items.

Opening Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 8.30am – 5.30pm.

If you would like to support our Friends by giving a donation, please please visit their website.

Support services

Our Starlight Captains and Clown Doctors are now back at the WCH and visiting patients on the wards in a COVID-Safe way.

The Starlight Express Room in open from 1:30pm to 4:30pm Monday to Friday.

At other times, inpatients can watch the action using Starlight TV.

Our Volunteer guides are now back on-site at the Kermode Street entrance information booth.

Preparing for surgery – Children

Bringing your medicines to hospital

When you come to hospital, always bring your / your child's medicines with you, along with a list of all the medicines you / your child is taking.