The $2.6m pilot will fund nurses to provide free services in general practices over the year, with the aim of reducing pressure on EDs.
The federal government is funding a new pilot program to provide free access to nurse practitioners within metropolitan GP clinics in South Australia.
“This pilot will give people more options when it comes to seeking advice and treatment for non-life-threatening healthcare which will, in turn, help to ease demand on our hospital system,” said Cassandra Ryan, SA Health’s acting executive director for integrated care systems, in a statement.
“This will benefit patients as they can get support closer to home, while also supporting primary care providers by broadening their services.”
According to federal Health Minister Mark Butler, “building a greater role for nurse practitioners will mean more people can be treated in the primary care system”.
The Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Pilot will receive $2.6 million over the next year to fund six nurse practitioners, who will work in multidisciplinary teams within general practice.
While the RACGP has previously expressed concerns over the autonomous work of nurse practitioners in primary care, it is largely supportive of work within GP-led teams.
Services provided by the funded nurse practitioners, such as prescribing, diagnosing, interpreting tests and providing referrals, will be free of charge to patients, hopefully freeing up capacity in busy primary care clinics, said DoHAC.
“Nurse practitioners are the best trained and skilled nurses – and already provide care for thousands of people in emergency departments,” said SA Health Minister Chris Picton.
“This program providing free nurse practitioner care in general practices will help more people get free access for their chronic and complex care needs.
“When people can’t access quality, accessible and affordable primary care they often get sicker and have no choice but to go to an emergency department.”
Currently, the pilot is open to expressions of interest from nurse practitioners and targeted metropolitan primary care practices until 21 March.
The pilot will expand to regional areas in the coming weeks.
It forms part of a larger $10 million injection into SA primary care which will also expand Healthdirect services in the state.
So far, the expansion has involved the introduction of the GP Extension Service, which facilitates 24/7 telehealth appointments with GPs for urgent medical assessment.
The service has helped 87% of the 4300 patients it has connected with a GP from presenting to an ED since it was started in July last year.
Also part of the expansion was the establishment of the Consumer Front Door service, connecting callers with virtual care and, where required, referring for face-to-face care and support.
Over 1600 people have been triaged by the service since it was opened in October, with 75% avoiding the ED.
“Bolstering the state’s Healthdirect services will offer even more options for South Australian families, especially outside of standard business hours,” said Mr Butler.
“These additional services – alongside our five SA Medicare Urgent Care Clinics – are working together to keep emergency departments free for critically ill patients while ensuring all South Australians have ready access to primary health care.”
According to Ms Ryan, SA Health and the Adelaide Primary Health Network will monitor the impact of the investment on access to primary care for South Australian patients.
