After hours GP Helpline - 1800 022 222

As part of its National Health Reform, the Australian Government is committed to improving access to after hours care, particularly in those areas where people currently struggle to get the care they need, when they need it.

The helpline

The Australian Government has introduced a new after hours GP helpline. People who require after hours medical advice, who cannot access their usual GP and are not sure what they should do, can now speak to a GP over the telephone, when necessary.

How will people use the helpline?

When a person calls the new helpline, their call will be answered by a registered nurse who will triage the caller. If necessary, the nurse will transfer the person to a GP on the telephone. The GP will talk with the person, assess their condition, make a diagnosis and provide medical advice.

When people calling the service are advised by either the telephone nurse or GP that they need to see a health professional immediately, they will be referred to the most appropriate face-to-face after hours services in their local area.

If at any point during the caller’s conversation with either the nurse or the GP, the call is deemed to be an emergency, the caller will be immediately transferred to ‘000’ with the nurse or GP staying on the line.

The new service will support continuity of care for patients. With the caller’s permission, GPs who provide face-to-face after hours services, as well as the patient’s usual GP, will be able to obtain a record of the consultation with the telephone GP.

Who can use the after hours GP helpline?

The new service is intended for people whose health condition cannot wait for treatment until regular general practice services are next available, cannot see their usual GP out of hours, do not know where to access after hours care or are not sure what they should do. Depending on their condition, the caller may be provided with self-care advice by the telephone-based nurse or GP, or may be referred to the most appropriate health services in their local area.

The after hours GP helpline is not intended for patients with life-threatening conditions. Patients with such conditions should dial ‘000’ and/or attend an emergency department without delay. If the caller requires immediate emergency attention, the call will be transferred to ‘000’ with the nurse or GP staying on the line. The service is not intended for patients with non-urgent conditions that can effectively be treated by the patient’s usual GP during normal working hours.

When can people call the helpline?

The helpline is accessible during the after hours period from 6pm to 8am Monday to Friday, 6pm Friday to 8am Saturday, from 12 noon Saturday to 8am Monday, and all day on public holidays.

Which states and territories have access to the helpline?

People living in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia are able to access the helpline by calling healthdirect Australia on 1800 022 222. Calls to this number will be free from a landline.

For people living in Tasmania, access to after hours GP telephone advice is available through GP Assist - call 1300 780 011. The after hours GP helpline will be available in Queensland from early 2012, through the existing 13HEALTH nurse advice line. Negotiations are progressing with Victoria so that the after hours GP helpline can also be accessed through Victoria’s NURSE-ON-CALL service.

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After hours GP helpline - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) materials

After hours GP helpline - Non-English Speaking Background (NESB) materials

Improving access to after hours primary care - FAQ

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Information for Health Professionals

How will the helpline benefit GPs and hospitals?

For GPs, the new service will provide another option for delivering quality care to their patients after hours, as they can provide their patients with the phone number of the new service if they wish. This is expected to reduce pressure on GPs during the after hours period, improving their work-life balance. The new service is expected to be particularly beneficial to GPs who practise in areas with limited after hours primary care services.

GPs will have the opportunity to direct patients requiring medical advice during the after hours period to call the helpline in the first instance. By calling the service and receiving nurse triage and/or GP advice, many patients will be able to manage their condition at home or at least until they can see their usual GP during normal business hours. Where self-management is not possible and a patient’s condition cannot wait until the next day for treatment, they will be directed to the most appropriate after hours health services in their local area.

The new service is expected to ease the pressure on hospital emergency departments by providing another option for people to access after hours medical advice.

Will the after hours GP helpline replace face-to-face consultations?

No. The new after hours GP helpline will not replace face-to-face after hours care for those people who need it. It provides a new option for GPs to deliver quality care to patients. The new service will be an add-on to the existing 24-hour nurse triage service currently operating in your state/territory. If they choose to, patients can still access existing after hours services in the same way they did before the helpline became available.

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For more information visit:

• www.healthdirect.org.au
  
• Primary Care