Dear colleagues,

We are making significant strides in delivering initiatives aimed at improving ED wait times, enhancing access to care, and exploring innovative solutions to reduce the pressure on our hospitals.

The Taskforce is actively supporting the implementation and monitoring of strategies associated with the $480.7 million four-year ED Relief Package. The initial phases of this investment are now underway, including:

• Expansion of Single Front Door: 24/7 free health advice is available across NSW by calling healthdirect on 1800 022 222, NSW residents can access healthcare, anywhere. A registered nurse will assess your condition and recommend the appropriate care options, ensuring timely connection to the services you need, day or night. A new care option will be the VirtualADULTS service, offering virtual care alternatives to traditional ED visits, where appropriate. The clinical hubs to support this service are now being established.
• Enhancements to ED capacity: Local Health Districts are receiving funding to increase the number of ED Short Stay Unit beds, helping to manage patient flow more effectively.
• Improving patient flow and discharge planning: the new Discharge and Patient Flow Concierge Service is being funded across Local Health Districts and Specialty Health Networks, aimed at streamlining discharge processes and supporting patients as they transition out of the hospital.
• NewGen Matrix project: The critical upgrade to the existing NSW Ambulance matrix is currently in the co-design phase, working closely with stakeholders from across NSW Health.

We are thrilled to also share the latest developments on our other initiatives aimed at easing the pressure on our EDs and supported by the Taskforce, here's a glimpse of what's happening:

• Transition to Hospital Access Targets: As of July 1, 2024, we have introduced seven new performance measures, with a three-month transition period now underway. We are actively planning the evaluation to gather insights over the coming year to drive continuous improvement.
• The NSW Health and NSW Police combined mental health response: NSW Health and NSW Police are revising their current
• Memorandum of Understanding. This initiative aims to streamline the process, ensuring NSW Police can swiftly return to their duties after safely transferring patients into the care of health professionals within the ED.

We look forward to sharing more updates soon!

Kind Regards,

Dr Trevor Chan
Co-Chair ED Taskforce
Clinical Director, Emergency Care Institute

Matthew Daly
Co-Chair ED Taskforce
Deputy Secretary, System Sustainability and Performance