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Coordinated healthcare
closer to home

A model of care designed to support rural people to receive comprehensive healthcare

Our Hubs

Kerang

Quambatook

Pyramid Hill

Boort

The rural shires of Buloke, Loddon and Gannawarra in central and northwest Victoria have limited and declining access to general practitioners (GPs).

After engaging in local co-design activities with patients and health professionals, a Sustainable Rural Healthcare Hubs model of care has been developed to address gaps, improve access and increase continuity of care in the region.

The model is being trialled over four years until the end of financial year in 2027 and has been made possible through a $1.4 million Innovative Model of Care grant provided by the Australian Government.

A health service partnership called the Integrated Health Network Alliance, which includes Northern District Community Health (lead), Murray PHN, Inglewood & Districts Health Service, Boort District Health and East Wimmera Health Service, is delivering the program.

A small, geographically clustered network of health services, which function together as Healthcare Hubs, are providing services across four sites. The first Hubs program sites are in Kerang, Quambatook, Pyramid Hill and Boort.

Led by GPs and nurse practitioners, a multi-disciplinary team gives patients access to comprehensive healthcare closer to home and includes allied health professionals (e.g. nurse, diabetes educator and mental health professionals) and a care coordinator to support community awareness, ensure patient questions and needs are addressed and to help with making appointments and managing referrals.

The Hubs provide comprehensive and culturally safe primary healthcare services onsite, via phone and video and into residential aged care homes, urgent care centres and schools. The Hubs ensure timely preventative care, reduce patient travel and enable easier access to specialists. People with chronic and complex conditions can coordinate and access more of their healthcare needs closer to home.

The Hubs are creating learning and job opportunities by welcoming medical, nursing and allied health students and assisting other team members to gain additional skills and expertise. And so that it can be replicated in other rural areas, research and evaluation form an integral part of the trial.

Our Partners

  • Northern District Community Health - logo