c) La interpretación de las circunstancias modificativas a partir de los fines de

Figure 9 Mersey

Source: Department of Health and Human Services, 2007.

8.6. Central Coast

Demographics

The Central Coast is classified as an urban/adjacent urban area. The Central Coast population was 20,914 in June 2005. The population is projected to decline by 6% from 2006 to 2018. In terms of population change, the 75 years and over cohort is projected to increase by 40% and the proportion of the population 75 years and over will be in the order of 11.5% of the population by 2018. It currently has one of the highest proportions of people over 65 in Tasmania.

Service profile

The Ulverstone Community Health Centre offers a range of primary health and community care services. This includes the Aged Care Assessment Team for the North West region. The regional Alcohol and Drug services team is also based in a separate location in Ulverstone. There is a Tasmanian Ambulance Service station with 24-hour, seven-days-a-week coverage provided by a two-person salaried crew.

Table 37 lists departmental services provided in the Central Coast municipal area.

Table 37 Departmental services: Central Coast municipal area

Acute Health Services Community Health Services# _{Human Services}

Ulverstone Ambulance Service Alcohol and Drug Service Oral Health Service – Children Community Health Centre

Occupational Therapy – Community Home Maintenance Services

Physiotherapy – Community Outreach Service HACC Packages of Care

Aged Care Assessment Team

Social Work – Community Outreach Service Community Nursing

Community Options Service Home Help and Personal Care Palliative Care

Child Health Centre

Penguin Child Health Centre

# Some of these services are not available on a full-time basis but are provided on an outreach basis from another centre. Source: Department of Health and Human Services, 2007.

As at June 2006, 55 Departmental Community Health staff (34 FTE) provided services from this site. In May 2006 the Census of Tasmanian GPs found that there were 18 GPs providing 135 sessions (3.5 hour sessions) of care; this equated to 13.5 FTE GPs. In terms of GP capacity to provide extra sessions of care it should be noted that Central Coast has been declared an Area of Need. The Australian Government provides funding through the Medical Specialist Outreach Assistance Program for a dermatologist to work out of Ulverstone. Several Commonwealth-funded residential aged care facilities operate from Ulverstone.

Commentary

Ulverstone and Devonport Community Health Centres provide a range of community health services across the North West region. They also have local community health responsibilities for the municipal areas of Latrobe and Kentish.

Under the Primary Health Services Plan, there is the potential for an expanded range of services provided in relation to chronic disease, bringing together health providers from general practice and community health, local government and non-government organisations.

8.6.2 Devonport

Demographics

Devonport is classified as an urban/adjacent urban area. The Devonport population numbered 25,266 in June 2005. The Devonport population is projected to decrease by 6% between 2006 and 2018. Within that total, a major increase (44%) will be people in the 75 years and over cohort, to stand at 12.5% of the population by 2018. It currently has one of the highest proportions of people over 65 in Tasmania.

Service profile

Devonport Community Health Centre offers a wide range of primary health and community care services to this and adjacent municipal areas. There is a large community health centre providing community nursing, allied health, oral health, housing, family and child health and children’s services. Mental Health Services are provided from a separate location in Devonport. There is a Tasmanian Ambulance Services station with coverage 24-hours a day, seven days a week provided by a two- person salaried crew.

Table 38 lists departmental services provided in the Devonport municipal area. Table 38 Departmental services: Devonport municipal area

Acute Health Services Community Health Services Human Services

Devonport Ambulance Service Audiology – Women’s and Children’s Clinical Services (visiting service)

Cochlear Implant Service

Diabetes Education Nutrition & Dietetics Occupational Therapy Patient Travel Assistance:

Physiotherapy – Adult: Sexual Health Clinic (visiting service) Speech Pathology– Adult/Child: Stomal Therapy (visiting service)

Alcohol and Drug Services Child & Adolescent Service Community Health Centre Community Nursing Continence Service Diabetes Education Service Health Promotion

Home Maintenance

Home Help and Personal Care Huntington’s Disease Social Worker Mental Health Adult Community Service Occupational Therapy – Community Occupational Therapy – Paediatric Oral Health Services – Adults and Children

Palliative Care (includes Social Work): visiting service

Physiotherapy – Paediatric Podiatry – Community

Respiratory advisor (visiting service) Sexual Health

Social Work – Community Outreach Telehealth Tasmania Network Well Women’s Clinic

Child Health Centre Child & Family Services Support Workers Community Partners Community Youth Justice (visiting service) Enuresis Clinic (visiting service) Family, Child & Youth Health Housing Services Kinta (visiting service)

Out of Home Care (visiting service) Parenting Centre

East Devonport Child Health Centre

Source: Department of Health and Human Services, 2007.

As at June 2006, 131 Departmental Community Health staff (57 FTE) provided services from this site. Two hundred and nine staff from all areas of the Department use this centre to deliver services. In May 2006 the Census of Tasmanian GPs found that there were 23 GPs providing 152 sessions (3.5 hour sessions) of care; this equated to 15.2 FTE GPs.

For acute health services the Devonport community accesses the Mersey campus of the North West General Hospital at Latrobe. Research associated with the Clinical Services Plan indicates that 36% of cases presenting to the Mersey Department of Emergency medicine could be managed in a GP service. The Australian Government’s Medical Specialist Outreach Assistance Program supports the following services: physicians in rheumatology and psychiatry, geriatric and general forensic. It also funds Youth and Family Focus to provide a drug treatment service under the Non-Government Organisations Treatment Grants Program.

Several Commonwealth-funded residential aged care facilities operate from Devonport, as do state- funded community care organisations.

Commentary

Devonport Community Health Centre already acts as a base for outreach services across the North West. There are opportunities for this role to be expanded over time. The development of closer links with mental health and other services not located within the facility should be pursued; however, co-location possibilities are limited by the lack of available space in the current facility. Opportunities

for better integration across primary health services and the North West Regional Hospital Mersey campus will also be developed.

Opportunities exist for the further development of an after-hours GP clinic in the Devonport area. Under the Primary Health Services Plan, there is the potential for an expanded range of services provided in relation to chronic disease, bringing together health providers from general practice and community health, local government and non-government organisations.

8.6.3 Kentish

Demographics

Kentish is a rural/remote area. The population of Kentish numbered 5,784 in June 2005. The Kentish population is projected to decrease by 2% between 2006 and 2018. However, a major increase (73%) will be people in the 75 years and over cohort, to stand at 7.6% of the population by 2018.

Service profile

The Kentish community receives community health services on a domiciliary basis from Devonport and Ulverstone Community Health centres. For other services they access the two community health centres or the Mersey campus of the North West General Hospital at Latrobe. A local non- government provider offers a range of health and residential aged care services for the Kentish area. Table 39 lists departmental services provided in the Kentish municipal area.

Table 39 Departmental services: Kentish municipal area

Community Health Services Human Services

Visiting services include: Oral Health Service – Children Breast Cancer Support Service Community Nursing

Home Help Home Maintenance Continence Advisor

Huntington’s Disease Social Worker Occupational Therapy – Paediatric Occupational Therapy – Community Palliative Care

Palliative Care – Social Worker Social Worker – Community Social Work – HACC

Speech Pathology – Community Physio – Paediatric

Physio – Community

Child Health Centre (Sheffield) Family, Child and Youth Health Services Visiting services include:

Child and Family Services

Child and Family Services Support Workers Community Youth Justice

Housing Tenancy

Source: Department of Health and Human Services, 2007.

There is a Tasmanian Ambulance Service branch station at Sheffield.

In May 2006 the Census of Tasmanian GPs found that there were less than three GPs in this municipal area. The Australian Government provides funding to the Kentish Regional Health Service for health

promotion and a youth health worker. Commentary

Kentish residents will benefit from any further development of services in the Devonport area. Under the Primary Health Services Plan, there is the potential for an expanded range of services provided in

relation to chronic disease, bringing together health providers from general practice and community health, local government and non-government organisations.

8.6.4 Latrobe

Demographics

Latrobe is classified as an urban/adjacent urban area. The Latrobe population numbered 8,769 in June 2005. The population is projected to continue to increase by 6% from 2006 to 2018. In terms of population change the 75 years and over cohort is projected to increase by 78%, and the proportion of the population 75 years and over will be in the order of 10.1% of the population by 2018. It currently has one of the highest proportions of people over 65 in Tasmania.

Service profile

Latrobe is the site of the Mersey campus of the North West Regional Hospital and the community is serviced by the Devonport Community Health Service. There is a Tasmanian Ambulance Service station with coverage provided 24-hours a day, seven days a week by a two-person salaried crew. Table 40 lists departmental services provided within Latrobe.

Table 40 Departmental services: Latrobe municipal area

Acute Health Services Community Health Services Human Services

Latrobe North West Regional Hospital –

Mersey Campus Adult Day CentreVisiting services include: Oral Health Service – Children Breast Cancer Support Service Community Nursing

Home Help Home Maintenance Continence Advisor

Huntington’s Disease Social Worker Occupational Therapy – Paediatric Occupational Therapy – Adult Palliative Care

Palliative Care – Social Worker Social Worker – Community Social Work – HACC

Speech Pathology – Community Physiotherapy – Paediatric Physiotherapy – Adult

Child Health Centre Family, Child and Youth Health Visiting services include:

Child and Family Services

Child and Family Services Support Workers

Community Youth Justice

Housing Tenancy

Shearwater Child Health Centre

Source: Department of Health and Human Services, 2007.

In May 2006 the Census of Tasmanian GPs found that there were 13 GPs providing 77 sessions (3.5 hour sessions) of care; this equated to 7.7 FTE GPs. Research associated with the Clinical Services Plan indicates that 36% of cases presenting to the Mersey Department of Emergency Medicine could be managed in a GP service.

Commentary

Developments on the site of Mersey campus contained within the Clinical Services Plan include an after-hours GP clinic. Latrobe residents will benefit from any further development of services in the Devonport area.

Under the Primary Health Services Plan, there is the potential for an expanded range of services provided in relation to chronic disease, bringing together health providers from general practice and community health, local government and non-government organisations.

Summary of actions for the Mersey area

Central Coast – The Ulverstone Community Health Centre will be developed as a Tier 1 facility. Devonport – The current Devonport Community Health Centre will operate as a Tier 3 community health centre. Infrastructure implications will be further explored in the Infrastructure strategy being developed by the Department as part of its response to the two planning

processes. Opportunities for better integration across primary health services and the North West Regional Hospital in Latrobe will also be developed. The potential for after-hours general practice will be explored.

Kentish – Outreach services from Devonport will be further developed to serve the Kentish community in accordance with community need.

Latrobe – Outreach services from Devonport will be further developed to serve the Latrobe community in accordance with community need. Developments on the site of Mersey campus of the North West regional Hospital will be addressed in the Clinical Services Plan.