• Apunipima
• ATSICHS Mackay
• Girudala
• Gurriny
• Mamu
• Mookai Rosie
• Mulungu
• NPAFACS
• PICC
• TAIHS
• Torres Health
• Wuchopperen

• Torres and Cape
• Cairns and Hinterland
• Townsville
• Mackay

The Care Finder program aims to establish and maintain a network of ‘Care Finders’ who are professionals in the community and who can provide intensive, face-to-face support for older persons who are isolated, or have no support person, and who are experiencing barriers to accessing and receiving the necessary support. 

This initiative forms part of the Australian Government’s response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

The organisations delivering the care finder services in North Queensland are Aged and Disability Advocacy (ADA) Australia, Footprints Community, Ozcare, ABIS, and Flinders Shire Council.

Read the lead provider announcement here.

Supporting RACH staff to increase availability and use of telehealth care for aged care residents promotes timely access to primary health care professionals where face-to-face consultation is not possible. RACHs require adequate telehealth facilities to support access to virtual consultations for residents. 

This initiative assists participating RACHs to have appropriate telehealth equipment to enable their residents to virtually consult with medical specialists, GPs, and other clinicians. The telehealth facilities must be compatible with most existing virtual consult technology used by health care providers and guided by recognised telehealth standards.

This commissioned service also funds the training of RACH staff on how to use the telehealth facilities and provide support to residents in accessing virtual consultation services.

Enkindle is currently undertaking RACH consultation and mapping existing telehealth infrastructures with participating RACHs.

RACH residents can experience deterioration in their health during the after hours period, however, immediate transfer to hospital is not always clinically necessary. Lack of awareness and utilisation of out of hours services provided by GPs and other health professionals leads residents to unnecessary hospital presentations. 

Therefore, it is important to support RACHs to enhance out of hours supports and after hours plans.

This commissioned service aims to enhance the out of hours support for participating RACHs. To achieve this, RACHs will be supported to develop appropriate after hours plans, educate their staff on after-hours healthcare options and processes for residents, encourage the implementation of procedures to keep residents' digital medical records up-to-date, particularly following an episode where after-hours care was required, and support the engagement between RACHs, GPs, and other health professionals in developing an after hours action plan.

Dementia is the second leading cause of death in Australia, with the incidence of dementia predicted to double in 2058. Early diagnosis of dementia is extremely important to delay progression of the disease and premature entry to RACHs. Older persons need better access to support services and assistance to navigate the complex system through which care is required. 

This initiative supports primary care practitioners' access to the HealthPathways tool, promotes best practice care, enhances local clinicians' awareness of referral options and services, improves collaboration and integration of healthcare systems, and develops consumer-focused dementia support pathway resources.

Commissioning early interventions for healthy ageing and management of chronic disease conditions is essential as older Australians are entering RACHs earlier than they may otherwise need due to lack of supports for healthy ageing or ability to manage their chronic conditions in the community. 

This initiative focuses on empowering North Queenslanders to be proactive in seeking supports and take ownership in managing their own health and lifestyle to live safely at home and in the community for longer.

Increasing awareness of the existing commissioned early intervention programs that promote healthy ageing, social connection, and slow disease progression for health professionals and older Australians forms part of this initiative.

• Monday to Friday 8am - 10pm
• Saturday, Sunday, and Public Holidays 9am - 6pm
• Patients presenting to the Cairns South Medicare UCC with urgent but not-life-threatening conditions that require an x-ray or ultrasound are now able to access these services on-site with no out-of-pocket costs. Radiology is available from 10am to 6pm seven days a week. Ultrasound is available 10am to 6pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
• 5b Walker Road, Edmonton
• (07) 4015 2987
• cairnsurgentcare.com.au

• Open 7 days a week, from 11am to 9pm
• 86 Thuringowa Drive, Thuringowa Central 
• (07) 4434 5090
• townsvilleucc.com.au

A patient's regular GP should continue to be the first point of contact for non-emergency, routine, and preventative health care. Some GPs also offer same day appointments.

Care provided by a regular GP includes:

• diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of diseases and illnesses
• general screening and health checks
• vaccinations and prescriptions
• mental health advice
• family planning advice
• referrals for tests, scans or specialist care.

Medicare UCCs will not see people for things like chronic disease management or preventative health procedures such as cervical screening tests.

Urgent care is when you need medical attention for an illness or injury that can be managed without a trip to the emergency department, but cannot wait for a regular appointment with a general practitioner (GP).

Medicare UCCs provide acute episodic care and treatment that does not require a hospital admission. This may include:

• minor infections
• minor fractures, sprains, sports injuries and neck and back pain
• urinary tract infections (UTIs)
• sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
• minor cuts
• insect bites and rashes
• minor eye and ear problems
• respiratory illness
• gastroenteritis
• mild burns.

Emergency or life-threatening illnesses and injuries require immediate medical attention and management by an emergency department or hospital.

If a patient has a life-threatening injury or illness, they should not attend a Medicare UCC. Call triple zero (000) or go to your nearest emergency department. 

Do not attend a Medicare UCC for:

• chest pain or tightness
• breathing difficulties
• uncontrollable bleeding 
• severe burns 
• poisoning
• numbness or paralysis 
• unconsciousness 
• unresponsiveness
• seizures 
• ongoing fever in infants.

Yes, if the issue is an urgent care matter as outlined in this flyer, you can provide patients with the contact details of the closest Medicare UCC. However, patients do not need a referral to attend a Medicare UCC. 

No. There are limited MBS items that patients can access at the Medicare UCC and the patient’s usual GP is still the first point of contact for non-emergency, routine, and preventative health care.  

Medicare UCCs won’t be able to see people for things like chronic disease management or preventive health procedures such as cervical screening tests. A patient attending a Medicare UCC for non-emergency, routine or preventative health care will be referred back to their nominated usual GP. 

Yes. Any patient attending a Medicare UCC will have a discharge summary issued. The summary will be: 

• uploaded into My Health Record (unless requested not do so by the patient) 

• electronically provided to the patient’s nominated usual GP/practice within 24 hours. 

If electronic transfer is not possible or the patient does not name a usual GP, the patient will be given a hard copy of the discharge summary. 

The Medicare UCC will also advise the patient’s nominated usual GP of any test results. 

Yes, the Townsville Medicare UCC has arrangements in place with diagnostic imaging and laboratory-based pathology services near the Medicare UCC.

Patients presenting to the Cairns South Medicare UCC with urgent but not-life-threatening conditions that require an x-ray or ultrasound are now able to access these services on-site with no out-of-pocket costs. Radiology is available from 10am to 6pm seven days a week. Ultrasound is available 10am to 6pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The Townsville and Cairns UCCs will provide urgent health care with no out-of-pocket costs for patients. Any diagnostic services, such as radiology and pathology, will also be provided with no out-of-pocket costs for patients. 

A national and local communications campaign will help people identify the right place to go for care, depending on their condition and level of care required. Various resources are available on the Department of Health and Aged Care website here.