Primary Health Tasmania has launched a new education and awareness campaign which will guide Tasmanians to the best options for after hours medical care.
The campaign directs people to the most suitable services when they need care at night, during the weekend and on public holidays, Primary Health Tasmania CEO Phil Edmondson said.
“Research we undertook to guide this campaign indicates that if people need medical care unexpectedly, around half of them consider calling an ambulance or going to a hospital emergency department,” Mr Edmondson said.
“More than a quarter of the people we interviewed weren’t aware of any after-hours telephone or online assistance where they could get professional advice.”
The centrepiece of the new campaign is a television advertisement which prompts people to visit the Tas After Hours website – www.tasafterhours.com – and save a free web app which allows people to:
• save their doctor’s contact details and call their doctor
• call the government-funded healthdirect helpline or another helpline
• find an open GP, pharmacy or emergency department nearby
• in the case of a medical emergency, call an ambulance.
Ambulance Tasmania’s Manager Statewide Services, Garry White, said making the right choice for after hours medical care can free up emergency services for life threatening emergencies.
“Sometimes people genuinely don’t know what their options are, especially when it’s outside normal business hours and they have no idea where to go for help,” Mr White said.
“We hope this campaign will help point people to the most appropriate services for the level of care they need, so Ambulance Tasmania can have the best possible chance of quickly responding to a car crash or suspected heart attack.”
Mother-of-two Pippa Johnstone, of Lauderdale, knows what it’s like to need medical help when regular services are shut.
“It can be pretty frightening when one moment your baby seems happy and healthy and the next they’re screaming and covered in a nasty-looking rash,” Ms Johnstone said.
“Unfortunately it always seems to happen in the middle of the night or when we’re at the shack, away from our regular doctor and chemist.
“Every parent wants to do what’s best and safest for their child and sometimes the temptation is to go to hospital – just in case.
“Having someone at the end of the phone to provide advice on what might be wrong and whether we can wait until the morning to see a doctor can be very reassuring.”
The after hours TV ads are supported by advertisements in newspapers, news websites, social media, and on regional buses, as well as posters.
The after hours period is:
• before 8am and later than 6pm weekdays
• before 8am and after 12 noon on Saturdays
• all day Sunday and public holidays.
A focus of primary health networks around Australia is to improve access to after hours services for local communities.
Primary Health Tasmania is a non-government, not-for-profit organisation working to connect care and keep Tasmanians well and out of hospital. It was established on 1 July 2015 under the Australian Government’s Primary
Jenny Denholm Manager – Communications and Marketing
