DUDAC general manager Adam Byrne said the signing of a new contract with Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora meant the expanded urgent and after-hours care service would begin on December 17.
The expanded service had come about through a collaboration between HNZ and DUDAC partners WellSouth Primary Health Network and the Dunedin General Practitioners Guild.
Mr Byrne said the new 24/7 service would be open to anyone, wherever they were enrolled, helping to meet the critical care needs of Dunedin’s growing population.
"Under the new contract, DUDAC will operate around the clock, providing urgent medical assessment, injury management, after-hours care and extended support for local health services including Dunedin ED and Hato Hone St John Ambulance,” he said.
Mr Byrne said the expansion of the service had come against a backdrop of record patient demand for DUDAC services in recent months.
August had been a record month, with more than 3000 people accessing the DUDAC service, with year-on-year records continuing in September (2800), October (2800) and even the usually quieter November (2400).
‘‘There has definitely been a spike in demand, so we believe it will be helpful for the local health system that we are increasing our capacity," Mr Byrne said.
The DUDAC has been undertaking a recruitment drive for extra, dedicated staff to cover the overnight shifts, including registered nurses and extended care paramedics.
‘‘The model for our overnight service will be that staffing will switch to nurses and/or extended care paramedics, who will be supported by an on-call experienced senior emergency medicine doctor," he said.
Elsewhere there were tele-health services available to people seeking urgent medical care, but for some there were barriers to accessing this.
‘‘We know that there are people who will just need or want to see someone in person, and that is what we are here for," Mr Byrne said.
‘‘We believe that knowing that access is available 24/7 will give people peace of mind."
The DUDAC fracture clinic will continue to operate as normal and will be increased during the winter months to accommodate weekend sporting injuries.
At present, the clinic treats about 270 patients each month.
Mr O’Byrne said DUDAC had a strong equity framework within the service, designed to make it accessible.
"While we do not have the same subsidies as general practice, our fee structure is equity-focused, with for example, caps on fees for children and for those with Community Service Cards.
‘‘Our fees will not increase as we move to 24 hours,” he said.
Mr Byrne emphasised that the DUDAC service aimed to work alongside the city’s general practices and not in competition with them.
‘‘We are here to provide urgent, episodic care, rather than the long-term support offered by GP practices," he said.
The new contract would help to relieve pressure on GPs by transitioning to a more dedicated urgent and after-hours workforce and removing the compulsory rostered after-hours services previously provided by local practices.
This would also ensure that all patients from Dunedin practices could access DUDAC.
‘‘When we encounter people who are not enrolled in a local GP practice, we will be able to help link them with practices."
Mr Byrne said the DUDAC team would be working hard to get the new 24/7 service embedded over the quieter holiday season and asked for patience from the public while this occurred.
‘‘Our goal is to have it all up and running at top speed by the time the students return to the city in February," he said.
• Mosgiel Health Centre is partnering with DUDAC to offer an after-hours service for patients in Mosgiel and Outram.
The service will be run from Mosgiel Health Centre, 6pm-9pm, Monday to Friday and 9.30am-3pm, weekends and public holidays.
FEE STRUCTURE
Medical:
Adult 18 years+ — $100; or $45 with Community Services Card (CSC) or High Use Card (HUC)
Child 14-17 years — $55; or $40 with CSC or HUC
Child 0-13 years — $30; or $0 with CSC or HUC *
ACC Surcharge:
Adult 18 years+ — $60; or $35 with CSC or HUC
Child 14-17 Years — $45; or $20 with CSC or HUC
Child 0-13 years — $25; or $20 with CSC or HUC *
• After 3pm weekdays, all day at weekends and public holidays, consultations for children under 14, who are NZ residents, are free of charge.
