Dear colleagues,

Exciting developments are underway as our ED Taskforce spearheads initiatives to improve ED wait times, access to care and to explore innovative solutions to divert pressure from our hospitals.

Here's a glimpse of what's been happening.

The Taskforce has now met three times and has endorsed, Emergency Care Assessment and Treatment (ECAT) program led by the Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI), transition by 1 July 2024 to selected Hospital Access Targets developed by the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) and an indicative workplan that captures innovative models and ideas that have the potential to ease pressure on EDs.

We’ve also connected with our rural colleagues at the inaugural Rural Directors of Emergency Medicine Forum. The invaluable insights gained will undoubtedly bolster our ability to deliver high-quality emergency medical care across diverse settings.

We're thrilled to update you on several groundbreaking projects aimed at easing the pressure on our EDs:

• NewGen Matrix project: this project aims to evenly distribute patients arriving by ambulance across EDs. Combining live data, the NewGen Matrix will dynamically allocate patients who require an emergency ambulance transport to the right location. Giving ambulance paramedics more information to make decisions for timely destination options for their patients.
• Mental Health Patient Flow Improvement: access to care for those with Mental Health problems is a priority for NSW Health. A range of initiatives are in place and underway to improve patient flow.  In 2024, three Safe Assessment Units will be piloted in NSW, providing integrated care and treatment for those presenting to an ED with mental health or behavioural issues associated with alcohol and drug use. NSW Health is also currently consulting on new mental health targets to align with the Hospital Access Targets.
• Single Front Door: this initiative, delivered with Healthdirect Australia, is a 24-hour single point of phone-based nurse assessment, triage, and referral for those with unplanned non-life-threatening healthcare needs. Through a simple call to 1800 022 222 NSW consumers can swiftly access information, assessment and referrals or self-triage and find services online at Healthdirect or via the Healthdirect app. In 2023 over 400,000 calls were taken and over 315,000 assessed and triaged. Nearly half of the people who initially intended to visit the ED were successfully redirected to non-hospital healthcare services. 

Together, we can make a significant impact on patient outcomes and healthcare delivery for our community.

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