The NNSWLHD and the North Coast Primary Health Network (NCPHN) continue to work collaboratively to deliver educaiton to GP and RACF nursing staff as part of the local Nurse Network initiative.
Melanie Franz, Nurse Educator for Integrated Care and Karri Crossing, Clinical Nurse Advisor, North Coast Primary Health Network worked together to organise the August Nurse Network meetings which were held at Kingscliff and Alstonville.
Lisa Garland, Nurse Practitioner for Aged Care and Sue McGuigan were chosen as NNSWLHD specialists to present at these meetings. The topic was Supporting the Older Patient, My Aged Care and maximising 75+ Health Assessments.
This topic was chosen as an educational priority within the Northern NSW region especially Ballina and Tweed Heads which have the highest rate of people over the age of 75 in Australia, with this ratio expected to increase substantially in the next 20 years.
Approximately 90 staff attended across both events with the majority being primary health nurses who currently conduct over 75 health assessments on their patients.
Lisa Garland outlined the rationale for assessments and focussed on assessing the patient holistically in their own environment She also presented the key indicators of falls outlining prevention measures such as cognition, social function and how to prevent falling in the home, as well as links to services.
Feedback was overwhelmingly positive and again highlighted the expertise of NNSWLHD staff who bring experience and knowledge to primary health and create links and reinforce the focus of a patient’s journey across the spectrum of health care.
These events provided an opportunity for integration between primary health and my aged care referral and highlighted the complexity of managing the elderly.
The presentation explained that all referrals for in-home assistance for the elderly need to go through to My Aged Care. An assessment by the Regional Assessment Service will then occur before a service can be assigned. Sue outlined some of the challenges that this can pose for the referrer, but reassured that the Federal government is working hard to provide the most streamlined service possible.
Sue Described the aims of this education session as “to provide an update on My Aged Care and check that all participants understand how to access services for their older clients. They should also gain an understanding as to how the Regional Assessment Service and the Aged Care Assessment Teams work as well as knowing the interface between the Commonwealth Home Support Program and the Home Care Packages program.”
Lisa Garland (pictured above) works as a Nurse Practitioner for My Aged Care at Tweed and Murwillumbah hospitals and has been in this role for 3 ½ years. Lisa is currently involved in a project jointly supported by NCPHN and NNSWLHD whereby she co-locates within a number of GP surgeries in the Tweed Heads area, between Coolangatta and Mullumbimby. Lisa provides holistic, proactive assessment of complex older patients in the GP surgeries, improving navigation and coordination of care for older patients with complex health care needs. Additional aims of the project are to enhance collaboration, communication and integration of health systems. Lisa has always been passionate about quality care of older patients.
Sue McGuigan (pictured above) is an Occupational Therapist and currently the Manager of the NSW Health Regional Assessment Service – Far North Coast and the Clinical Lead for Northern NSW ACAT. Both of these organisations work with My Aged Care on a daily basis as part of the assessment arm of aged care in Northern NSW. Sue says “All of our older clients and those of us that work with them need to have a good understanding of the system and how to best meet our clients care and service needs by referring to and working with My Aged Care.”