Free virtual health care is now available to every person in NSW for urgent conditions, following the completion of the rollout of NSW Health's virtual urgent care service.
It now means everyone in NSW can access urgent clinical care for injuries and illnesses without needing to visit a hospital or GP.
Almost 16,000 patients accessed virtual care over the past financial year as the service incrementally expanded across metropolitan Sydney and regional NSW.
This is in addition to the over 216,000 attendances to NSW urgent care services or clinics over the 2024-25 fiscal year.
It coincides with significant improvements in emergency department wait times at some of the busiest hospitals in Sydney, including:
- Blacktown Hospital - which has almost tripled the proportion of T2 emergency patients being treated on time over the past two years.
- Liverpool Hospital - which has increased the proportion of T2 emergency patients being treated on time by a third, over the past two years.
Hospital ramping has also decreased substantially, with the proportion of patients being transferred from paramedics to ED staff within 30 minutes increasing, including at:
- Blacktown Hospital - with a fifth more patients being transferred within 30 minutes compared to two years ago.
- Liverpool Hospital - with almost a third more patients being transferred wtihin 30 minutes compared to two years ago.
NSW virtual care services are available by calling Healthdirect on 1800 022 222. A registered nurse will assess your condition over the phone and, if virtual care is appropriate, arrange an video-call appointment with a clinician-whether that's a doctor, nurse or allied health professional. You'll receive expert advice on treatment options, prescriptions if needed, and referrals to follow-up care.
Currently statewide virtual urgent care services have 80 full-time equivalent clinical and non-clinical staff ensuring the service is running 7 days a week between the hours of 8am and 10pm.
NSW virtual urgent care services are equipped to manage a wide range of health concerns. This includes the management of coughs, colds, fevers and flu; treatment for vomiting, diarrhoea or mild infections, rashes and skin irritations; or minor injuries such as sprains and small cuts.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Ryan Park:
"Access to GPs and primary care is the domain of the Commonwealth Government, but the Minns Labor Government is stepping up and into this space because too many people feel like they don't have a choice but to go to a hospital emergency department, because they can't find a GP.
"It's often the case that our EDs are being attended by people with non-life-threatening conditions.
"That's why I'm so pleased to announce the completion of our rollout of virtual urgent care services across Sydney and across NSW.
"This is complementing our urgent care services and clinics which are also providing an alternative pathway to care outside of the hospital.
"More pathways to care outside of the hospital; more staff; more hospitals; lower wait times - it's as simple as that."
