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Priority Care Centres
Priority Care Centres (PCCs) provide community-based healthcare and treatment for eligible patients with urgent but non-life threatening conditions who would otherwise be seeking treatment at a public hospital emergency department.
SA Health, in partnership with the Adelaide Primary Health Network and general practices, has established four Priority Care Centres across metropolitan Adelaide in Marion, Elizabeth, Para Hills West, Hindmarsh. There is an additional Priority Care Centre located in Mount Barker.
Services and treatment
PCCs are led by general practitioners (GPs) with additional support from SA Health hospital-trained nurses.
Priority Care Centres offer treatment for a range of urgent but non-life threatening conditions such as:
- Infections requiring antibiotics, including intravenous (IV)
- Investigation and management of sprains, strains and broken bone
- Treatment of wounds, cuts abrasions, and minor burns, including treatment requiring stitches
- Ear, nose and throat concerns – sinus/ear/tonsil pain or redness, foreign object retrieval
- Eye irritation or foreign object
- Skin conditions such as infection, non-complex abscesses, rash or eczema flare
- Pregnancy related concerns less than 12 weeks gestation (excludes significant blood loss).
PCCs can provide a range of other services, including access to:
- diagnostic tools, such as imaging (x-rays) and pathology
- pharmacy services
- referral to community-based health services for follow up care
Referrals
A referral from a healthcare professional is required to access the Priority Care Centres.
Patients can be referred to a Priority Care Centre by:
- Public hospital emergency department clinicians
- SA Ambulance Service paramedics
- GPs
- healthdirect phone line 1800 022 222 (following a review by an SA virtual care service)
- Child and Adolescent Virtual Urgent Care Service
- other community services.
Patients referred from a public hospital emergency department may choose to remain at the emergency department to wait for treatment.
Patients who are eligible for Medicare can access a PCC at no cost and will need to provide their Medicare card on arrival at the centre.
Referral partners can contact health.prioritycarecentres@sa.gov.au for additional information on referral pathways.
Resources for health professionals
Additional information for referrers can be found below.
General resources for referrers:
- Priority Care Centres General Information Sheet (PDF 560KB)
- Priority Care Centres Clinical Decision Support Tool (PDF 450KB)