NSW Government Announces $7.2 Million Allied Health Pilot to Reduce Hospital Stays for Older Patients

The NSW Government announced an investment of $7.2 million into an early intervention allied health pilot aimed at helping older patients recover at home and reducing prolonged stays in public hospitals. The initiative, scheduled to launch in early 2027, comes amid reports of increasing numbers of patients awaiting Commonwealth aged care placements while remaining in state hospital beds.

The Enhanced Allied Health pilot is expected to assist up to 330 older people each year. It is designed to provide targeted interventions for individuals with chronic and complex needs, addressing areas such as mobility, cognition, falls risk, home safety, equipment provision, and carer training.

Under the program, multidisciplinary teams comprising physiotherapists, occupational therapists, pharmacists, dietitians, speech pathologists, and social workers will deliver services. Care will be administered through home visits, community-based programs, and virtually enabled support. The pilot will integrate with existing hospital, community, and aged care services to facilitate assessment, rehabilitation, and care planning for individuals receiving home care or transitioning out of hospital care.

Participants will be selected via clinical assessments and local referral pathways, including during hospital admissions. The NSW Government stated that specific locations for the pilot will be confirmed in the coming months.

The program is part of a broader $35.7 million Aged Care Response Package introduced by the state government to address hospital discharge delays. NSW Minister for Health Ryan Park characterized the number of patients stranded in public hospitals while waiting for Commonwealth aged care placements as a significant public health challenge across Australian state health systems, stating that the state is acting to help older residents maintain independence at home.

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