NSW Ambulance has today launched a major recruitment drive to boost capacity within the State’s Virtual Clinical Care Centre (VCCC).
Health Minister Ryan Park said the VCCC helps NSW Ambulance respond to Triple Zero calls more effectively, operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and providing expert clinical and medical secondary triage capability.
“A significant number of calls made to Triple Zero do not require a paramedic response, and that’s where our expert clinical staff in the VCCC step in,” Mr Park said.
“The VCCC was created during the pandemic at a time of unprecedented Triple Zero call volumes and showed it was more than capable to manage this extreme demand and keep patients safe.
“During the devastating 2022 floods where some people requiring medical attention were isolated by flood waters, VCCC clinicians were able to provide ongoing clinical care to these patients virtually while they were waiting to be rescued.
“Expanding the VCCC ensures patients right across NSW will continue to receive the care they need regardless of where they live while also reducing demand on our ambulances and hospital emergency departments.
"The VCCC saved more than 12,000 patients from attending the emergency department last year, reducing demand on the hospital system.
“VCCC Clinicians had contact with more than 100,000 Triple Zero callers during this period to triage or provide support for 46,000 patients, who didn’t require urgent care by offering secondary health services available within the community.”
NSW Ambulance Commissioner Dr Dominic Morgan said the VCCC has assisted with tens of thousands of Triple Zero calls since it was launched two years ago.
“The VCCC started with a small number of specialist clinicians on duty 16 hours a day. Two years on, it’s a 24/7 operation, which will have more than 100 staff over the next three years,” Dr Morgan said.
“As part of the VCCC expansion NSW Ambulance is seeking experienced Registered Nurse and/or Registered Paramedic triage clinicians, Clinical Nurse Consultants and Specialist Physicians to join the fast-growing multidisciplinary team.”
In the two years since being established the VCCC has been successfully diverting very low acuity cases away from hospital emergency departments to more appropriate care pathways. VCCC staff also provide call backs to some patients who call Triple Zero (000) to assess them clinically and determine if the response needs to be upgraded.