Aged care residents across the Mid North Coast will now be able to access in-home clinical support and avoid unnecessary trips to hospital, following the expansion of the Aged Care Outreach Service.
The Aged Care Outreach Service will help ease pressure on the Mid North Coast's busy emergency departments by providing direct intervention to those living in Residential Aged Care Homes (RACHs) with certain conditions.
Since its launch in August, the service has supported more than 30 Mid North Coast residents, with 80 per cent able to be managed in their home without needing to visit an emergency department or requiring hospital care.
Twenty six facilities in the Mid North Coast now have access to the dedicated outreach service, with patients referred by their RACH or NSW Ambulance.
The Aged Care Outreach Service team includes specialist nurses, doctors and other clinicians who provide residents with timely and appropriate clinical care in the comfort of their home.
The service is further supported by a 'flying squad' of registered nurses who can attend facilities to deliver urgent clinical interventions, such as catheter care, wound support and point-of-care testing.
The program is funded by the Commonwealth Government's Strengthening Medicare - Supporting Older Australians, as part of $140 million investment over four years to establish and/or expand Aged Care Outreach Services. It will support people living in RACHs, those being discharged from acute care into RACHs and in some cases older people living in the community.
The Minns Labor Government has also delivered an Aged Care Outreach Service in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven, which has been in place for more than two years and has received almost 4,000 referrals.
The delivery of these services is part of the Government's plan to improve access to essential health care across the state, and ease some of the pressure on our already busy hospitals.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park:
"It's exciting to see such a terrific program now available to aged care residents in the Mid North Coast, providing critical care to people in their home when they need it most.
"In the first month, 26 residents were seen by the service, with 80 per cent safely treated in their home without the need to go to hospital.
"We are committed to making it easier for people to access timely, high quality care when they need it while reducing unnecessary demand on emergency departments."
Quotes attributable to Minister for the North Coast Janelle Saffin:
"The Aged Care Outreach Service has been incredible for the hundreds of residents who have received care in the comfort of their home.
"This is a fantastic initiative as it gives aged care residents across the Mid North Coast easier access to care while at the same time easing pressure on our busy emergency departments."
Quotes attributable to Mid North Coast Local Health District Chief Executive Jill Wong:
"Bringing healthcare directly to aged care residents in their home is about ensuring people can stay where they feel safest and most comfortable, with timely access to expert care when they need it.
"By working together with our partners in aged care, NSW Ambulance and primary care, we're delivering better options and better outcomes for our valued elderly members of our community."
