Hunter Primary Care is pleased to announce that we have been awarded the prestigious HCF Research Foundation Translational Research Grant (TRG). The TRG scheme focuses on responding to health issues identified by healthcare providers, and the translation of research findings into practice by health service delivery stakeholders.
The successful submission by Aged Care Services Manager, Leigh Darcy, will translate a metropolitan aged care nurse practitioner model to a rural residential care setting to optimise primary care outcomes. This came about after Hunter Primary Care successfully piloted a new model of care to improve access to primary care and support residents of aged care homes to manage their healthcare goals, across the Hunter New England region.
The Aged Care Nurse Practitioner Program was funded by the Hunter New England Central Coast Primary Health Network (The PHN) and included a partnership with both the University of Newcastle (UoN) and HCF to evaluate the effectiveness, feasibility and acceptability of the model over a 12 month period. With a 97% satisfaction score from residents involved in the program, The PHN supported Hunter Primary Care to continue the program in the Tamworth region.
Following the success of the pilot program, Hunter Primary Care expanded the service to additional aged care homes outside of the funding provided by The PHN. We have now employed five nurse practitioners, a transitional nurse practitioner and provide student placement opportunities across twelve aged care homes.
The research project is designed to expand access to primary care in rural areas, testing the successful metropolitan aged care nurse practitioner model in regional settings. In collaboration with the UoN and healthcare professionals, nurse practitioners offer specialised care for elderly residents, often managing multiple chronic conditions. The project will assess how this model performs in rural communities where residents face more significant care barriers. The expansion could lead to broader implementation, improving rural healthcare equity.