Melbourne's Royal Children's Hospital advises parents to seek alternative care

The Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne has warned there may be a 12-hour wait for less serious cases tonight due to "unprecedented demand".

A spokesperson said they were asking parents to seek alternative care for their children if possible.

"We will always treat the most seriously ill children first which unfortunately means some patients with less serious conditions may experience longer wait times," the RCH spokesperson said.

READ MORE: Family's heartbreak over fatal stabbing of teen at St Kilda beach

There were more than 90 patients in the emergency department late today.

The spokesperson said more than 50 per cent of patients who arrived this afternoon have been triaged as lower acuity.

"We anticipate wait times for these less seriously unwell patients will potentially reach more than 12 hours this evening," the spokesperson said.

"With extremely high levels of acuity of our already admitted inpatients, it is not safe to discharge patients to free up beds.

"We have flexed our inpatient wards where it is safe to do so. Staff have volunteered to work extra shifts and we have put a call out to unrostered clinical staff to assist."

READ MORE: Sydney woman loses $75k after buying fake government bonds

The hospital is asking families to try Nurse on Call, the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department or online telehealth options as alternatives. If your child is critically ill, always call 000.