Back
In this section

NSW Ambulance care plans – redesigning the way forward

We are currently working with NSW Ministry of Health as we review the Ambulance authorised care program. It is now ten years since it was introduced and many integrated and palliative care services have evolved to meet new and different community needs since then.  Paramedic training and protocols have expanded in the out-of-hospital environment to include a care focused collaborative approach for patients with chronic and complex care and end of life needs in the community.

Our aim to guide and support paramedics in their decision making remains the same. This involves consideration of supporting patients with their decisions as to whether to stay at home according to their preferences or to be transported to hospital as required.

Current delays

As we review and re-design the program, there may be delays in processing of the current forms. Currently, endorsing forms is taking approximately four to six weeks.

Please call or email if you have an urgent request (contact details below).

Plans will be assessed and processed if the management required is outside of the current scope of paramedic practice.

NSW Ambulance Authorised Care Plans will continue to be processed whilst we are in the planning and development phase of establishing a new authorising environment. More information will be made available throughout 2022.

Please complete an NSW Health Advance Care Directive for instructions about end of life interventions.  It needs to be available for NSW Ambulance paramedics when called or discussed by the person responsible. It does not need to be submitted to NSW Ambulance.

The way forward

NSW Ambulance has developed new paramedic protocols, pharmacology and education. This means paramedics can now provide care for patients with complex needs and at end of life without needing special instructions from patients’ doctors. Please expect paramedics to ask patients about “goals of care” when they are called. This will help paramedics to understand the level of treatment and intervention in the current circumstances. They will also ask about the patient’s treating health team so they can organise ongoing care for the patient. This will also assist the patient to remain at home if that is their expressed wish and according to paramedic advice.

NSW Ambulance authorised care plans are best supported by the NSW Advance Care Directives and a summary of important health information from a recent GP, specialist or hospital visit.

They should be made available in the home for paramedics if the patient needs to call triple zero “000”. Paramedics will speak with patients/carers, refer to the form and make contact with key health providers (eg palliative care team, GP) as listed on the form, to inform their clinical decision making.

NSW Ambulance return process for Endorsed Authorised Care Plans

NSW Ambulance has introduced a new secure file transfer system which provides an added level of security for all patient identifiable information.

If your organisation currently operates Kiteworks secure file transfer system, please email all completed ACPs via this platform. All other organisations, please continue to email completed ACPs via the normal emailing platform. ENSURE A VALID RETURN EMAIL IS PROVIDED AS NO PLANS ARE MAILED VIA POST.

Endorsed Authorised Care Plans will now be returned to patients and health providers through this secure file platform.

To access returned Authorised Care plans if you do not have an account, you will be required to follow the below instructions:

To access eHealth NSW Secure File transfer Service.

First-time users:

  1. Open the email invitation and click on the “Access message” button
  2. Your web browser will open and connect to the eHealth NSW Secure File Transfer portal
  3. Enter your email address and click on the “Next” button and then set a password. Click “Create Account”
  4. An email will be sent to your email address to activate your account
  5. Open the email and click on the “Activate account”
  6. You can then start using the secure file service
  7. The endorsed authorised care plan will be required to be downloaded and printed within 14 days, after which the plan will be automatically deleted from the email system.

In addition to emailing endorsed Authorised Care Plans through the secure file transfer system, plans will be now password protected to increase the security of the information in the document and to ensure they are only accessible by intended receiver/s. The password will be emailed to you with the above information.

Email Address to be updated to AMBULANCE-AuthorisedCarePlan@health.nsw.gov.au

Resources

NSW Health Advance Care Directive booklet is available for download on the NSW Health website.

Authorised General Care Plans

Authorised Palliative Care Plans

Should you have any further queries please contact NSW Ambulance via:

Email: Ambulance-AuthorisedCarePlans@health.nsw.gov.au or Phone: (02) 9779 3801