For Patients and Visitors
What is the Service?
The team consist of a Geriatrician, Aged Care Registrar and a Nurse Coordinator
- We aim to provide assessment and management for patients to help work out the best way to return home after being in hospital.
- Sort referrals received from hospital medical and surgical units within the Northern Hospital and external hospitals for Northern Health’s various programs.
- Organise rehabilitation. This can be either an in-hospital rehabilitation program with intense therapy twice daily or slower paced rehabilitation program within the Geriatric Evaluation Management (GEM) unit which offers second daily therapy.
- Provide advice about geriatric patients and medical problems
Our continuing care sites are:
- 30 inpatient rehabilitation beds
- 8 slower paced rehabilitation GEM beds
- Inpatient dialysis unit
Northern Health Bundoora Campus
- 71 slower paced rehabilitation GEM beds
Kilmore and District Hospital -Rutledge Street Kilmore
– 10 slower paced rehabilitation GEM beds
GEM@Home service offers aged care slower paced rehabilitation services in the patient’s home. The program runs for up to 21 days and offers a geriatrician, nursing, physio therapy and occupational therapy home visits.
Strict Eligibility
- Clinically medically stable and not within an acute state of delirium
- Suitable and safe home environment
- Residence is within a 15 km radius of Northern Health sites
- Must need care from at least 2 disciplines
Please download attached brochure for further information about Continuing Care at Northern Health.
What can I expect from the service?
The nurse coordinator will sort referrals received to determine if the patient is medically stable and suitable for transfer to subacute continuing care sites
Following which the patient will be seen by a doctor to assess and approve patient for continuing care service.
Contact us
Naveeni Natkunarajah –
Clinical Nurse Coordinator
0409 716 315
naveeni.natkunarajah@nh.org.au
For Health Professionals
Service Overview
The team consist of a Geriatrician, Aged Care Registrar and a Nurse Coordinator
- We aim to provide assessment and management for patients to help work out the best way to return home.
- Sort referrals received from acute medical and surgical units within the Northern Hospital Epping and external hospitals for Northern Health’s various programs.
- Organise rehabilitation. This can be either acute inpatient rehabilitation program with intense therapy twice daily or slow stream rehabilitation program within the Geriatric Evaluation Management (GEM) unit.
- Provide advice about geriatric patients and medical problems.
Our Continuing care sites are:
- 30 inpatient rehabilitation beds
- 8 slow stream rehabilitation GEM beds
- Inpatient dialysis unit
- 71 slow stream rehabilitation GEM beds
Kilmore and District Hospital -Rutledge Street Kilmore
– 10 slow stream rehabilitation GEM beds
Subacute referral process for external health facilities
Instructions – Please download and complete the referral form, on completion please email to Aged Care Rehabilitation Consultation (ARC)– Clinical Nurse Consultant for triage.
NHARC@external@nh.org.au should you have further queries regarding this referral please contact 0409 716 315
Your referral will be received and triaged by our ARC team and you will receive return correspondence within 2 working days.
Please note that Northern Health subacute allocation will give priority to Northern Health inpatient acute medical referrals for subacute, therefore extended waiting periods are expected with any external hospital referrals.
Inclusion criteria:
Within Northern Health Catchment – Northern Health supports communities from City of Banyule, Darebin, Hume, Nillumbik, Whittlesea and Moreland Councils
Please note patients must be medically stable to transfer to subacute program
MET call criteria within subacute sites vary.
Northern Health Bundoora has onsite medical cover between the hours of 0800 – 2000 and on call medical cover between the hours of 2000 – 0800
Nursing ratios are 1:5 patients
All subacute referrals should be for patients who are working towards realistic functional goals that are determined by inpatient allied health review and opinion
All sub acute referrals need to be assessed by an aged care registrar or geriatrician equivalent from the referral facility with regard to whether this patient is suitable for subacute transfer within Northern Health.
Exclusion criteria:
Referral must include:
Please ensure all sections of the referral form are complete.
Please also include a copy of most recent blood tests, obs chart and medication chart.
Alternative service options:
Outpatient services
Medical Outpatient Service (MOPS)
Cognitive Dementia and Memory Service (CDMS)
Director/Head of Unit:
Dr Sandra Brown
Enquiries:
NHARCexternal@nh.org.au
Naveeni Natkunarajah
ARC Clinical Nurse Coodinator
0409 716 315
