From today, many Mount Barker and Adelaide Hills residents will receive the urgent care they need at South Australia's first peri-urban Priority Care Centre (PCC), rather than the Emergency Department.
Minister for Health and Wellbeing Stephen Wade said the new PCC, located at Summit Health in Mount Barker, will provide Adelaide Hills and Mount Barker residents with an alternative care pathway for their urgent, but not emergency, healthcare needs.
"We are committed to strengthening peri-urban health services, to reduce pressure on our metropolitan services, and provide care closer to home for our community," Minister Wade said.
"It's anticipated the PCC will see up to 20 patients a day, which is around 30 per cent of patients presenting daily at the Mount Barker District Soldiers' Memorial Hospital ED.
"More than half of the ED presentations at the hospital are category 4 (semi-urgent) and category 5 (non-urgent), patients who can safely be seen at the new PCC.
"We are thrilled that the Hills and Mount Barker community now has an alternative option to presenting at an ED and can be seen by experienced GPs right next door to their closest hospital."
Eligible patients at the Emergency Department will be offered a choice to attend the new PCC, to avoid waiting in an ED and helping free up hospital space and ambulances for those needing a higher level of care.
Patients can be referred to the PCC by the SA Ambulance Service, an ED nurse or doctor, a GP, Healthdirect Australia, or through other virtual urgent care services such as the Women's and Children's Health Network Child and Adolescent Virtual Urgent Care Service.
Wellbeing SA Chief Executive, Lyn Dean, said the new PCC is a partnership between Wellbeing SA, SA Health, the Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network and Summit Health.
"The newest PCC is initially opening for six months as part of the SA Health COVID response strategy," Ms Dean said.
"Since our first four PCCs opened in 2019, more than 27,000 people have avoided EDs and received timely access to priority care in the community instead.
"Patient satisfaction is high, with 92 per cent of patients reporting they would recommend the service to family and friends, and 87 per cent saying they were very satisfied with the service they received."
Common conditions treated at PCCs include minor sprains, wounds and cuts, suspected fractures, urinary tract infections and mild upper respiratory infections.
PCCs are led by experienced GPs who can also offer access to other services that support care and treatment including imaging, pathology, pharmacy services and community-based health services for follow-up care.
The Mount Barker Priority Care Centre will be open Monday through Friday from 10am to 6pm.
