Aim:
A geriatrician- and geriatric nurse-led consult service was introduced in the Emergency Department (ED) at The Sutherland Hospital (TSH) to improve care for residents of Residential Aged Care Homes (RACHs). Delivered by the Geriatric Flying Squad (GFS), the service aimed to reduce ED presentations and avoid unnecessary hospital admissions.
Methods:
Increased funding between 2023 and 2025 expanded GFS full-time equivalent staffing, enabling a dedicated TSH ED GFS pathway operating Monday to Friday. The pathway commenced on 3 June 2024 and was supported by targeted education sessions and ED presentations to promote engagement. A winter strategy extended coverage to seven days per week from June to December 2025.
GFS consults were incorporated into morning ED handover rounds, facilitating early identification and collaborative review of RACH residents with ED clinicians. Residents suitable for discharge were identified promptly, with clear management and transition plans developed in partnership with RACH staff. For residents requiring higher acuity care, GFS provided recommendations regarding hospital admission based on clinical need and the RACH’s capacity to provide safe ongoing care.
Results:
Between June 2024 and June 2025 (five-day coverage), ED presentations from RACHs decreased by 7%, and hospital admissions fell by 30% compared with the previous 12 months. During the six-month winter strategy (seven-day coverage) from June to December 2025, ED presentations decreased by 10.4% and admissions by 11.8% compared with the same period in 2024.
Conclusion:
The TSH ED GFS pathway shows how a data‑driven hospital‑avoidance model can reduce ED presentations and hospital admissions.