About THE PROGRAM

Multipurpose Services integrate a range of health care services to deliver improved health outcomes for local communities
The NSW Government is investing $297 million in the Multipurpose Service program. Multipurpose Services are integrated health and aged care services that provide flexible and sustainable services for small regional and remote communities. Each service is tailored to meet the community’s unique clinical needs into the future.
 
New models of care
The demographic and social profile of rural and remote Australia has changed over the last 20 years, as has the way health care is delivered and funded. For example:
 
  • hospital stays are shorter
  • there is expanding use of technology
  • more services are delivered in the community or close to home
  • older people are increasingly choosing to be cared for at home.

A new focus
There is now a greater emphasis on primary health care including health improvement and prevention programs, as part of better integrated health care.   The traditional hospital structure and models of care have changed to reflect the evolving rural and remote environments. For these small communities, flexible service models need to be developed which are more client-focused, responsive to the community’s needs, and offer better integration of services.
  
Services provided
Depending on a community’s needs, Multipurpose Services can offer access to a wide range of health and aged care services, which may include:
 
  • 24 hour drop-in care
  • inpatient beds
  • palliative and respite care
  • residential aged care and high care
  • a range of primary, community and ambulatory care services
  • provision for visiting specialists.