Around 10,000 older patients will have access to more tailored and timely healthcare in the comfort of their own home, to relieve pressure on hospitals and avoid unnecessary trips to the emergency department.
NSW Premier Chris Minns and Minister for Health Ryan Park will today announce the introduction of a new Urgent Care Response Team in south west Sydney, and the expansion of existing Urgent Care Response Teams in the city’s south east and north.
The three Urgent Care Response Teams will see patients treated in their own homes or aged care facilities at no cost.
These teams offer specialist and multidisciplinary medical and nursing services, as well as access to a broad range of allied health services including social workers, physiotherapists, pharmacists and dietitians and occupational therapists.
The urgent care response teams are being delivered as part of the NSW Government’s $124 million program to deliver 25 urgent care services over the next two years and will see an additional 36 healthcare staff working across the south west, south east and northern Sydney local health districts.
All three Urgent Care Response Teams will increase their operating hours to seven days a week; 8am to 10pm for patients in aged care facilities, and 8am to 8pm for patients in the community.
The Minns Labor Government is determined to rebuild our health system after 12 years of neglect.
In May, the Health Minister announced the expansion of the InTouch Urgent Care service, which provides care to residential aged care patients in the Western Sydney LHD.
And in April, the NSW Government expanded a similar service for younger patients, based at the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network VirtualKIDS urgent care service.
Patients can be referred to the response teams through a variety of channels, including GPs, residential aged care facilities or by phoning Healthdirect on 1800 022 222, or by visiting healthdirect.gov.au.
Quotes attributable to NSW Premier Chris Minns
“We have inherited an overwhelmed health system.
“Nowhere is that clearer than in emergency departments.
“We need to relieve some of that pressure. That is why we are embracing measures like Urgent Care teams.
“Today’s announcement forms just part of how we are working to rebuild our health system and improve wait times.”
Quotes attributable to NSW Minister for Health Ryan Park
“We will treat more patients, deliver more staff and offer more hours through our expansion of these urgent care response teams across Sydney.
“The expansion of these services will make it easier for older people to access high quality urgent care at the right time, from the comfort of their home environment.
“At the same time, we can alleviate the pressure on our local hospitals by reducing unnecessary presentations to our emergency departments.”
