Access2HomeCare (A2HC) is a joint initiative of the Australian and South Australian Governments. It provides information and a phone based screening service to identify a client's needs and refers them to appropriate Home and Community Care (HACC) services and other community care programs to enable them to remain living in their own homes.
 
It is available across the whole of the Adelaide metropolitan area for clients 65 years of age and over (50 years for clients of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent) from 4 October 2011.

A2HC will become the primary entry point for referrals to Domiciliary Care and the Adelaide Aged Care Assessment Team (AACAT). Referrers to Domiciliary Care and AACAT for community based assessments are encouraged to use the A2HC referral form at the following link: www.gppadelaide.org.au/Templates/. Some direct referrals will continue including Domiciliary Care Palliative referrals and AACAT hospital based referrals.

A2HC, Domiciliary Care and the Adelaide Aged Care Assessment Team (AACAT) have been working closely together to ensure referrals continue to be managed in a timely and seamless way to minimise disruption for clients and referrers as a result of the A2HC expansion.

Further information and the referral form for Access2HomeCare is available by following the links on the ageing website www.sa.gov.au/seniors or call A2HC on 1300 130 551 (free call number).

MAST is an interdisciplinary community based team working towards the maintenance of health, function, capacity, independence & quality of life for community dwelling older people with complex health and care needs. The service aims to avoid preventable unplanned hospital admissions & emergency department presentations for older people. In addition the team aims to facilitate coordinated planned admissions to the acute and subacute sector where this is clinically indicated and beneficial to the client.

The team provides comprehensive assessment, short term intervention & case management aimed at establishing a sustainable ongoing care plan for maintaining the older person in their usual residence (including residential aged care facility), thereby preventing unplanned hospital admissions /presentations.

The program can provide short term in home interventions for eligible clients in order to meet an agreed goal/s.

MAST has an interdisciplinary approach consisting of nursing, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and social work, thereby giving it the scope to provide a targeted, issue focussed service that addresses the pertinent needs of the client and their carers. The team will have strong links with geriatricians based at the central & northern hospitals, and will be able to access this service in a timely manner for complex clients requiring medical review or intervention.

MAST aims to see high priority clients within 1-3 working days of referral. In order to maintain this responsive service the team will focus on assessment & case management. The aim of the service is to coordinate and develop a sustainable & tailored careplan for the client including referrals to specialist services e.g. Falls Prevention.

The targeted client profile includes:

• 65 years + or 45 years + if from an ATSI background.
• Presence of geriatric syndromes.
• Clients in aged care facilities who need access to specialist assessment in their facility and require a coordinated approach to intervention.
• History of multiple ED presentations. - History of multiple preventable hospital admissions.
• Unmanaged / unstable health issues e.g. chronic conditions.
• Multiple co-morbidities.

A Medical Director template of the MAST Referral Form can be downloaded from here.

For more information please contact:

Antonia McGrath Clinical Manager

Tel: 8243 5422

Referrals to:

Mobile Assessment & Support Team

The Parks Community Centre Building 1, 2-46 Cowan St, Angle Park

Tel: 8243 5471 Fax: 1300 724 900