Two Sydney health networks have won acclaim from the International Hospital Federation.
A partnership to support frail and elderly people in the community has received an honorary mention at the International Hospital Federation Awards.
Northern Sydney LHD and Sydney North Health Network joined forces to create the Collaborative Commissioning program to support GPs to identify patients at risk of presenting to the emergency department by providing them with faster access to specialists and community-based care.
“The program offers more alternatives to the hospital emergency department for people experiencing a decline in their health,” said James Inglis, NSLHD’s director of operations integration.
“The collaboration provides proactive and preventative health care to frail and older people across northern Sydney through a close network of hospital staff, GPs and community services so that they don’t end up in the emergency department unnecessarily.
“By supporting GPs to access more health services in the community for those at high risk of hospitalisation, we can achieve far better health outcomes for these vulnerable patients.”
In 2023, the program cut emergency visits and unplanned hospital admissions by 51%, saving $10.9 million.
A key part of the initiative, NSLHD’s Geriatric Outreach Service, provides rapid support to elderly patients to avoid hospitalisation.
Since 2022, the service has dealt with 10,864 referrals for 6712 patients, mostly from aged care homes, and over 75% of cases were managed without a hospital stay—saving about $10 million in 2023.
“This recognition on the global stage is a huge honour for the Collaborative Commissioning program and to all the people who have contributed to its success,” said Mr Inglis.
Regional trauma service
Dubbo Base Hospital has won accreditation as a regional trauma service, allowing more seriously injured patients to be treated closer to home.
The accreditation follows four years of work to demonstrate the clinical standards required to function as a service that can manage trauma injuries assessed as minor or moderate.
Previously, those patients would have been transferred to a metropolitan facility for treatment by air or road. Patients experiencing major trauma will continue to have their care initiated at Dubbo Hospital prior to transfer.
Dubbo Base Hospital was assessed by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and the Institute of Trauma and Injury Management before being designated as a regional trauma service by NSW Health.
The trauma team at Dubbo includes nurses, doctors, surgeons, anaesthetists, pathology technicians, and radiographers.
“Achieving accreditation as a regional service is really important for our local population because patients with traumatic injuries need to be assessed and treated as quickly as possible,” said Dr Simon Heppell, director of trauma at Dubbo.
“We are a long way from Sydney and it’s vital that we are able to treat patients locally whilst at the same time stabilising the very sickest trauma patients and transferring them to Sydney for ongoing care.
“Dubbo is now verified as a Level 3 trauma service which means we are able to provide high quality care locally for minor to moderate trauma patients, whilst stabilising major trauma patients prior to their transfer to a higher-level service.”
South Western Sydney LHD
Fairfield Hospital in South Western Sydney LHD is a step closer to its biggest upgrade in 35 years with the appointment of the redevelopment project’s lead design team.
The scope of the $550 million project will be finalised during the planning and design phase and construction timeframes will be confirmed once a builder is engaged.
The design team includes architect Architectus, project manager Turner & Townsend and cost manager Genus Advisory, who were appointed following a competitive tender process.
“The redevelopment of Fairfield Hospital will significantly enhance the healthcare of our community and I am excited the project is progressing,” said SWS LHD chief executive Sonia Marshall.
“The hospital redevelopment is the foundation of a new ‘health neighbourhood’ for the Fairfield area, which will provide contemporary, integrated health care close to home.”