New GP After-Hours Helpline for Aged Care

In Sunshine Coast by Pikka Turangan

We were excited to launch the new dedicated GP after-hours helpline for residential aged care homes (RACHs) in late December. Developed in response to feedback from local RACHs and general practice, CCQ and healthdirect established this free, Australian Government-funded telehealth service to provide trusted, high-quality aged care-specific GP support when a home’s usual GP is unavailable.

The service assists with non-life-threatening medical issues, ensuring residents receive timely care. An event summary is sent to the resident’s usual GP and uploaded to My Health Record, supporting continuity of care.

Operating 6pm–8am Monday to Friday and 12pm–8am on weekends, the helpline aims to reduce unnecessary hospitalisations while improving after-hours support for aged care residents.

The service is now live and available for all GPs to promote to their aged care residents and staff. Your will share more information soon.

If you have any questions, please contact your Primary Health Coordinator directly or email pracsupport@c2coast.org.au