By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
An innovative new aged care program was launched at Bupa Care Services in Berwick last week.
Federal Minister for Ageing Senator Jacinta Collins visited the facility to announce the Integrated Health Care Program, which will see Bupa employ general practitioners to work across its residential care homes.
Ms Collins said the GP initiative, part of the Labor Government’s $1.1 billion Workforce Supplement, will boost nursing and care teams at Bupa facilities throughout the country.
“Aged care residents will have access to regular consultations with the same GP,” she said.
“The aim is to improve health outcomes for residents and it is expected this will decrease their need for hospital visits and the need to leave the home for simple procedures.”
The new Bupa program will see GPs introduced into 15 of the company’s homes, including Berwick, Bonbeach and Edithvale.
Bupa plans to have an onsite GP in each of its 61 homes across Australia in the near future.
Bupa Care Services Australia managing director Louis Dudley said the project was expected to greatly improve health outcomes for residents.
“Currently one in four of all aged care residents is admitted to hospital every year and around 30 per cent of these admissions could have been avoided if a GP or other primary health carer was available to assess the resident before a transfer was needed,” said Mr Dudley.
“Accessing consistent, quality GP services for residents in aged care homes has been a real challenge for aged care providers, and addressing this was central to our plan to help our residents live longer, healthier, happier lives.”
La Trobe MP Laura Smyth, who also attended the launch, said it was significant that Bupa’s new health care program started with its Berwick facility.
