Nurse trial aimed at reducing amount of ambulance calls by elderly residents

For the first time in an aged-care setting, a nurse practitioner will be on call after-hours to care for residents and avoid unnecessary hospital visits.

The service is available for people living in the Victoria Grange Aged Care and Retirement Village, in Vermont South, and any elderly people in a 10km radius of the village.

Previously, many of these people would have no other choice but to visit a hospital emergency department.

The program is being run by Australian Unity.

The nurse practitioner on call is Sue Clarebrough, who has more than 30 years’ experience.

“One of the main aims of the program is hospital prevention,” Ms Clarebrough said.

“It’s a great benefit to residents in the facility, while people living nearby are able to make appointments to attend the clinic.”

The pilot program, which at the moment only operates Monday, Wednesday and Friday, will provide bulk-billing services to the 300 retirement village residents at Victoria Grange, as well as thousands of elderly patients within a 10km radius aged over 65.

In 2011, 22.5 per cent of the Whitehorse population were aged 60 years and over. By the year 2036, it is expected to reach 30 per cent.

Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network chief executive Robin Whyte said Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, which had significant numbers of aged-care and retirement villages, were perfect for the pilot, which could be rolled out nationally.

Program co-ordinator Erica Henderson said it was an exciting program which could change after-hours aged-care nationally.

“We can provide care to people closer to home and earlier on to resolve these situations in a way that is better for everyone,’’ she said.

Elderly people within the 10km radius can phone Victoria Grange on 9955 4200 to speak to the nurse practitioner and make an appointment. If there is an emergency always phone 000.