GP Telehealth Changes
FAQ
Find out what the Telehealth Service Decommission means to you
General Questions
This service was established to support urgent GP needs through the peak of covid-19. The service continued to support locals during the floods that occurred across the whole of our region. North Coast Health Connect and the national Healthdirect service will provide 24/7 health advice ensuring the best outcome for residents in the North Coast NSW.
From 1st October 2024, all calls will be transferred to Healthdirect.
Nurse-led triage services help to assess and priotitise patient symptoms and determine the appropriate levels of care. Ensuring you receive the right support to assess, manage and treat your symptoms. The benefits include better patient outcomes, through clinical management reaching those in greatest need first.
GP appointments (in-person and telehealth) will still be available. NCHC also has 23 participating GP practices across the region and 28 pharmacies with free, local quarantined appointments available.
Health Professionals: GPs, Pharmacy & LHD (NCHC)
NCHC does not notify the persons usual GP of their call to this service. If the outcome is a local GP appointment, the GP who provides an appointment to the patient will provide a summary of the appointment to the patients regular GP.
Nurses will fast-track your triage needs and book your patient into a bulk billed appointment if available.
If GP Telehealth is your preferred outcome using from your clinical assessment of presenting symptoms, a voucher code for a free appointment will be provided by the NCHC nurse for the patient. You should be able to receive this voucher code without having to register the patient.
If GP telehealth is the preferred outcome from your call, a voucher code for a free appointment will be provided by the NCHC nurse, to be provided to the patient.
The North Coast Health Connect will continue to support health professionals wanting to refer a patient to a GP or pharmacy. Bulk-billed appointments are available for residents locally through 23 participating GPs, 28 participating pharmacies and GP telehealth services.
Residential Aged Care Homes - Healthdirect
Healthdirect GPs can provide eScripts for schedule 3 and 4 drugs. No schedule 8 controlled drug medication will be prescribed and no doctors orders will be written.
Healthdirect GPs can provide eScripts for schedule 3 and 4 drugs. No schedule 8 controlled drug medication will be prescribed and no doctors orders will be written.
eScripts can be sent to the RACHs associated pharmacy (via email) and medications can be dispensed.
The Healthdirect GPs will not have access to RACH eMedication charts.
Healthdirect triage nurse will work with you to determine the acuity level (Tier 1 or Tier 2) and the appropriate timeframe for a Healthdirect GP appointment.
You should consider using this service when the patient’s condition or health concern cannot wait for the patient’s regular GP, but they are not unwell enough for the emergency department.
Some examples include:
- Mild to moderate pain requiring assessment and an analgesic plan until
regular GP review. (No S8s prescribed on this service) - Nausea and/or vomiting that requires further assessment or could benefit
from symptomatic management. - Acute urinary symptoms suggestive of a urinary tract infection, requiring
assessment and potential antibiotic treatment. - Mild to moderate respiratory symptoms suggestive of respiratory infection
requiring assessment, advice and/or further management. - Wound review for concerns regarding local infection and further
management. - Further assessment and guidance in the context of acutely elevated blood pressure (not hypertensive emergency) with no neurological symptoms.
- New onset mobility issues following a fall.
Conditions not treated by Healthdirects GPs:
- Anaphylaxis/Progressive allergic reaction presentations
- Neurological events, such as a CVA (stroke), sudden loss of vision, speech loss, sudden onset of unexplained confusion or inability to move a limb, loss of consciousness
- Cardiac-related presentations (heart attack)
- Severe breathing difficulty/uncontrolled asthma attack
- Choking presentations
- Sepsis presentations
- High-impact injuries e.g. motor vehicle accidents/neck injuries/significant fractures
- Non-blanching rashes (meningococcal rash)
- Major burns
- Psychosis/Acute mental health presentations
Event summaries will be uploaded to My Health Record. Correspondence will also be sent to the residents nominated GP via secure messaging.
If you wish to use the Healthdirect fast-track as part of your after-hours plans, please ensure you have updated all documentation and communicate this change to your staff.
The Healthy North Coast Aboriginal Partnership 2024 NAIDOC Week Grants are funded through the PHN Program, an Australian Government initiative.
We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land we live and work, the Bundjalung, Arakwal, Yaegl, Gumbaynggirr, Githabul, Dunghutti and Birpai Nations, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to elders past, present and future.
