A new collaboration between NSW Ambulance and the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District aims to provide patients with the right care in the right place while reducing pressure on emergency departments. The initiative will deploy two additional Extended Care Paramedic (ECP) vehicles, staffed by six highly skilled paramedics, to expand existing community-based care models. These paramedics are trained to assess and treat a range of low-acuity and complex chronic conditions, helping some patients avoid unnecessary hospital visits.
The program is complemented by the Virtual Clinical Care Centre (VCCC), which allows experienced clinicians to assess patients remotely and connect them with appropriate care options such as general practitioners, pharmacists, or other health services. This approach ensures patients receive care from the most suitable provider while preserving frontline ambulance resources for urgent emergencies.
Co-designed in consultation with the Health Services Union, the initiative enhances community health care, particularly for patients who do not require emergency medical attention. It builds on other measures by the Minns Labor Government to ease hospital pressures, including expanding the Aged Care Outreach Service in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven and creating more pathways for care outside emergency departments, such as Healthdirect, urgent care, and virtual services. Future phases are planned to increase capacity and community care pathways, particularly for older citizens, enabling them to remain in their communities.
Health officials highlighted the benefits of the collaboration. Minister for Health Ryan Park emphasized that the program ensures patients receive timely and appropriate care. Local representatives, including Members for Wollongong, Shellharbour, Kiama, and the South Coast, praised the expanded role of ECPs in reducing hospital visits and improving community health outcomes. NSW Ambulance Chief Executive Dr. Dominic Morgan underlined the flexibility and commitment of the service to meet demand while supporting health partners. Acting Chief Executive of the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, Marg Martin, welcomed the additional support, noting its importance in addressing the pressures of an ageing population and enhancing local care capacity.
Overall, the collaboration represents a strategic effort to strengthen community-based health services, support patients in their homes, and relieve strain on hospital emergency departments, ensuring a more resilient and responsive health system in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven regions.
