Virtual aged care service (VACS)

Details

About us

We are a geriatric outreach program that provides care to residents in the Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District (NBMLHD) community, including those living in Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs) using virtual care (telehealth).

Referral information

This service is available for people who are in local aged care facilities, or who are:

• 70 years or older or 

• over 50 years of age for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

  and

• be eligible for Medicare

• live in the NBMLHD catchment area

  These people may have or require:

• New diagnosis with new medications
• Delirium
• Cognitive impairment impacting daily function
• Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD)
• Wound care in consultation with the wound clinic
• Pain management
• Geriatric syndromes (e.g., falls, frailty, sarcopenia)
• Support urinary catheter management.

Exclusion criteria:

• Hemodynamically unstable
• Major trauma
• Chest pain suspicious for acute coronary syndrome
• Unwitnessed falls on anticoagulation (excluding DAPT)
• Witnessed falls with head strike on anticoagulation
• Surgical review (e.g., acute abdomen)
• Acute confusion of traumatic origin
• Fall with altered level of consciousness
• Fall with an inability to weight bear
• Syncope, seizures
• Bleeding (e.g., gastrointestinal bleeding, haematuria)
• Psychiatric conditions/violent behaviours posing risk to staff or residents
• Receiving allied health services from other services (e.g., DVA)
• Out of area

• Refusal of referral by patient, family, GP, Registered Nurse, or RACF manager

  Note: Some exclusions may be reconsidered if the patient has an Advance Care Directive for palliative management. Contact VACS for further discussion.

Referrals are accepted from:

• Emergency Department (ED): For patients who attended ED but did not require admission.
• Patients recently discharged from hospital: Under care of Geriatrician or other related services to facilitate early discharge, follow-up management plans, and more.
• Residents from local RACFs: For acutely deteriorating patients or post-hospital follow-up, among other needs.
• GP referral: For cognitive assessments, comprehensive geriatric assessments for patients not residing in RACFs, and capacity assessments (excluding Testamentary capacity, which can be discussed on a case-by-case basis).
• NSW Ambulance Service/VCCC: Referrals from paramedics onsite after they have reviewed a resident or from the Virtual Clinical Care Centre (VCCC) by telephone.

A detailed referral letter will need to be faxed to the clinic. We will then contact the person to arrange an appointment.

The referral needs to include contact details for the person’s next of kin or carer, as well as an indication of the level of urgency:

• Low – patient to be reviewed within 6 weeks
• Medium – patient to be reviewed within 4 weeks
• High – patient to reviewed within the next 2 weeks.

For more information, call 0407 411 387

Send referrals to: (02) 4734 3933

Email: NBMLHD-VACS@health.nsw.gov.au

Clinic services, specialists and hours

This clinic is available Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm.

This program consists of a multidisciplinary team including doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists who deliver timely care to minimise unnecessary hospital visits.

Referring your patients to VACS means they can continue to receive care in their own home environment thus maintaining their wellbeing within the community. 

Assessments can be provided in-person or through virtual health platforms.

Related services

Nepean Hospital, Corner Great Western Highway and Somerset Street, Kingswood NSW 2747

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