Allied Health Strategic Plan

Strategic Priority 6 SPENDING WISELY

Rapid Assessment Intervention and Discharge Emergency Department Project

Evidence based workforce planning has been a focus throughout 2020- 2021 including consistent allied health workforce planning to ensure allied health is operating to the top of their scope of practice and the right skills are being deployed at the right time to the right place. Two unique multidisciplinary allied health workforce models of care were implemented to improve efficiency, patient outcomes and experience.

The Allied Health Rapid Assessment Intervention and Discharge – Emergency Department (RAID-ED) Model of Care (MoC) was implemented to lower the demand on inpatient hospital beds preventing hospital admissions to Westmead and Blacktown Emergency Department’s (ED). It also measured patient experiences from the treatment received. This MoC prioritises patients’ needs by supporting medical and nursing staff and assessing patients immediately after triage in the ED. RAID- ED is a rapid response seven-day, extended hour’s service that includes physiotherapists, social workers, and occupational therapists. The RAID-ED team have seen over 5,800 patients since October 2020 and have: ■ Discharged 60% of patients they saw directly from ED. ■ Provided follow-up care for 30% of patients discharged. ■ Reduced the overall average length of stay for triage categories 2 to 5 by 34 minutes and 70 minutes at Westmead and Blacktown ED respectively. ■ Reduced the number of patients waiting greater than 24 hours at Westmead and Blacktown ED. ■ Improved overall patient reported experience (PREMS) measures in the ED with Westmead scoring 92% (previously 58%) and Blacktown 79% (previously 53%). ■ Achieved high PREMS scores specific to the RAID-ED Team performance with 100% at Westmead and 90% at Blacktown. The RAID – ED Team has been permanently funded from 1 July 2021.

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