Innovative Healthcare Solution: QCS Welcomes Nurse Practitioner to Ensure Ongoing Care for Residents
When a local GP clinic unexpectedly withdrew its services, Quirindi Care Services (QCS) faced a critical moment. With 35 elderly residents suddenly left without a primary doctor, we acted swiftly to ensure their healthcare needs would continue to be met.
Leveraging recent legislative changes that allow Nurse Practitioners (NPs) greater autonomy, QCS implemented an innovative solution to safeguard the health and wellbeing of our residents.
This proactive response is part of a broader effort to address the healthcare shortages that are impacting aged care facilities in rural Australia, where elderly residents are often left without essential medical support. Under the leadership of our General Manager, Kim Riley, and with guidance from Sherrie Boucher, adviser and compliance mentor for NDIS, Home, and Aged Care Providers, we welcomed Nurse Practitioner Georgia Ellis to the QCS team.
“Our priority has always been to ensure continuous, high-quality healthcare for our residents,” says Kim Riley. “When we learned that our GP service was ending, we knew immediate action was necessary. Recruiting Georgia Ellis as our Nurse Practitioner provides a sustainable healthcare model that not only meets our residents’ needs today but also strengthens our services for the future.”
A Forward-Thinking Model for Rural Aged Care
Nurse Practitioner Georgia Ellis, with over 12 years of healthcare experience in NSW, including extensive work in geriatric care, brings a high level of expertise and compassion to QCS. With her Master of Nursing and a commitment to enhancing rural healthcare, Georgia now provides essential services at Quirindi Care Services. These include prescribing medications, referring patients to specialists, and ordering diagnostic tests such as imaging and pathology.
“My decision to take on this role in a rural setting stems from a desire to make a meaningful impact for those who face barriers to healthcare access,” Georgia shares. “Although the rural setting presents challenges, it also brings unique opportunities to innovate and connect deeply with residents. Small adjustments—like prescribing the right medication or making a timely referral—can significantly enhance their quality of life.”
“Our adoption of the Nurse Practitioner model is yet another step towards providing quality, reliable care, even in challenging circumstances.”
Thanks to legislative changes passed by Federal Parliament, Nurse Practitioners like Georgia can now prescribe medications and provide Medicare services independently, offering greater flexibility in areas with limited GP availability. The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation has praised this model as a "common-sense solution" for rural and remote healthcare needs.
Providing Comprehensive Care at Quirindi Care Services
Georgia’s services at QCS include both onsite care and Telehealth consultations, ensuring continuous healthcare access for our residents, including after-hours emergency support.
As a rural aged care provider, QCS has always been committed to adopting innovative solutions to meet the unique challenges we face. From recruiting qualified staff from the Pacific Islands and Timor Leste in 2023 to now embracing the Nurse Practitioner model, we remain dedicated to ensuring the best possible care for our residents.
“We are proud to be leading the way with care models that prioritise the wellbeing of our community.”
This article was recently published in The Land - read the full article here: https://www.theland.com.au/story/8789018/quirindi-aged-care-innovates-with-nurse-practitioner-model/