STEP DOWN BEDS

Formed in 1998, Barwon Health is the largest regional health service in the state of Victoria. With a catchment area outside of the Greater Geelong area that extends throughout south western Victoria, Barwon Health cares for a population in excess of 500,000. A broad spectrum of care is delivered, meeting the needs of the community at all stages of life and circumstance. The comprehensive range of services includes emergency and acute medicine, mental health, primary care, community services, residential aged care and sub-acute care and rehabilitation. Care is delivered across the region via a number of sites. The hospital precinct, dedicated primarily to acute care, education, training and research, encompasses the main University Hospital Geelong and immediate periphery locations in central Geelong. Sub-acute inpatient care and residential aged care is delivered from the McKellar Centre in North Geelong, with an additional residential aged care site in Charlemont. Community based care is delivered from numerous sites throughout the region, including in people’s homes. Barwon Health also operates from additional sites across the region to provide administrative services, providing support in the delivery of clinical care.

There is high demand on health care services, driven by an increase in the size of the population, the ageing of the population, and the increase in the number of births each year. In 2018-19, Barwon Health reported 78,126 presentations at the Emergency Department, 21,847 operations and 87,004 inpatient separations.

To support access and flow from bed based services, Barwon Health is seeking to partner with an agency, such as a supported residential service, for people transitioning out of hospital who are unable to live independently in the short term. The facility will only be used when there is a clear plan for returning home or to a bed based service for planned ongoing health care and/or rehabilitation.

The aim of the service is to achieve a step down accommodation support service for patients deemed not suitable to be discharged home in the short term. The tender is being undertaken to improve the consumer experience, ensuring people are in the most appropriate care facility.