NSW Health collaborates with the Australian Government in the development of the Multi-Purpose Service (MPS) program. There are 66 MPS across 8 local health districts in NSW (Murrumbidgee, Far West, Western NSW, Hunter New England, Northern NSW, Southern NSW, Mid North Coast and Nepean Blue Mountains).

The MPS program provides integrated health and aged care services to regional, rural and remote communities, including acute care, subacute care (such as respite and palliative care), emergency, allied health, primary health and community services. The program allows older people in small communities to remain close to family and friends and still receive the ongoing aged care support they need. The MPS provides a home-like environment for aged care residents.

Care in MPS is provided by networks of local services including registered nurses, local and visiting GPs and other local providers, and is supported by virtual care and retrieval services from aligned hospitals in regional centres. There is local variation across these networks because of differing geographic, demographic, and social factors, as well as funding and governance models.

Implementation of the MPS model

The characteristics of rural communities and service delivery which best support the implementation of the MPS model include:

  • insufficient catchment populations to sustain separate acute hospital, residential care, community health and home care services (generally from around 1,000 to 4,000 persons)
  • inability to access the mix of health and aged care services appropriate to the needs due to isolation
  • complementary (rather than competing) services
  • service catchments which reflect a common sense of community
  • consumer and community involvement in, and commitment to, the MPS model
  • support for the MPS from existing services, including virtual care and local health professionals such as general practitioners
  • capacity to achieve financial viability under MPS funding arrangements
  • willingness and capacity to participate in the change management processes essential to gaining the most benefit from the flexibility of the MPS model
  • no adverse impact on services in nearby towns.

​Further information

Current as at: Thursday 27 June 2024
Contact page owner: Regional Health Division