After hours
Brisbane South PHN is committed to its vision of Better System, Better Health and facilitates accessible, appropriate, patient-centred health care, especially where health services gaps have been identified through our Needs Assessment.
Our most recent Needs Assessment identified a gap in the provision of after hours care for our communities. Our response includes addressing gaps in after hours service provision and improving service integration for at risk populations.
Emergency Choices
For many people, when they are sick or injured after normal business hours, they will make a trip to a hospital Emergency Department not knowing there are other health care services available. To improve access to after hours health care services, Brisbane South PHN created the Emergency Choices website.
Emergency Choices guides patients on when they should attend an Emergency Department after normal business hours, or when they should seek an alternative health care service. The website integrates several free, after hours services for patients, including:
- Healthdirect Symptom Checker
- 13 HEALTH telephone service
- Links to after hours GP services and pharmacies
- Links to Hospitals and Emergency Departments
After hours GP services
We support after hours GP services in our region, so our communities can access primary health care after normal business hours and reduce non-urgent Emergency Department visits. This care may be provided to people at home or in aged-care facilities on behalf of the person’s regular General Practitioner.
To improve accessibility to these services and integration of primary health care services, and reduce unnecessary trips to a hospital emergency department, Brisbane South PHN has compiled a list of after hours GP services in our region.
For people experiencing homelessness
Street to Home Outreach Services are delivered by Micah Projects, a not-for-profit organisation providing health, housing and social support to people experiencing homelessness and to those who have made a transition from homelessness to housing, but who require ongoing and consistent social support and health care.
Micah Projects has been engaged by Brisbane South PHN to deliver a range of services including after hours health care services. The Street to Home After Hours Nurses and Support and Advocacy workers provide integrated outreach services, operating across Brisbane, seven nights per week from 6 pm – 12 pm.
The Street to Home After Hours Service is supported during business hours by the Street to Home Community Health Nurse who provides complex care, chronic disease management and direct nursing services to people experiencing homelessness and vulnerably housed people.