Increasingly, the public’s healthcare preferences are being used by policy makers and health service planners to inform decision-making as part of their greater commitment to community engagement. This shift is based on the assumption that knowledge about the public’s preferences can raise awareness, identify community needs and encourage more appropriate use of scarce resources that are under pressure, such as Emergency Departments. Demand for emergency care increases each year even though many admissions are considered avoidable. In response to issues of overcrowding, new service models continue to be introduced including the provision of care in alternative settings and delivered by other practitioners. The current study therefore sought to understand the circumstances under which the public decide to access emergency care, their preferences for care alternatives and how these are influenced by the presenting context and individual characteristics.