What we do
Our Residential In Reach (RIR) service provides specialised nursing consultation to people living in Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACF) within the Bass Coast, Wonthaggi and Phillip Island region.
The goal of the service is to support care facilities to provide timely and appropriate care, and avoid the need to travel to hospital emergency departments if unnecessary.
The RIR team, comprising of Clinical Nurse Consultants, visits residents in their facility to assess, treat and coordinate their care. This means that in many situations, residents can receive timely clinical attention without the distress and disruption of a hospital transfer.
Residential In Reach is not intended to replace the care provided by the resident's usual doctor or the aged care facility itself. The resident’s General Practitioner remains responsible for their care at all times.
In some circumstances, hospital attendance will still be necessary.
Services we provide
Assessments and interventions may include:
- Comprehensive medical and nursing assessment
- Medication review
- Organising pathology, imaging or other diagnostic tests
- Chronic disease management
- Wound care, including minor lacerations and injuries
- Dehydration management and intravenous fluid therapy
- Intravenous antibiotic treatment (e.g. for chest infections, urinary tract infections)
- Urinary catheter care
- Post-falls assessment, prevention and management
- Pain assessment and management
- Behavioural assessment, advice and referral
- Palliative care advice and referral
- Delirium screening
- Clinical interventions including urinary catheter management, administering IV therapy and medications, and Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastroscopy (PEG) tube management
- Advanced Care Planning support, including family meetings
- Education and support for facility staff in identifying early clinical deterioration.
A Geriatrician service is also available for face-to-face and telehealth appointments. This service is free.
How to access this service
Residential In Reach is typically contacted by residential aged care facility staff or the resident's General Practitioner. Families of residents may also make contact.
If you are concerned about a resident and their GP is unavailable, and you believe they may require hospital-level care, please call the RIR team.
Referrals are also received from the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department and our wards, Hospital in the Home and Emergency Department.
To make a referral or seek clinical advice, contact us:
Phone: 0418 576 082
When: Monday to Friday, 8:00am – 4:30pm
Our service is available to:
Residents of Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACF) within Bass Coast.