In an Australian first, the federal government has established the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre and a health services hub network which unifies the efforts of the public and private health systems, ensuring COVID-19 outbreaks at aged care facilities are managed with the best available resourcing across a number of local services.

The Response Centre is coordinating the response to COVID-19 outbreaks in aged care centres and has developed the model, known as the Victorian Health Services Coordination Hub, to enhance surveillance of outbreaks in the aged care sector.

The model, which reaches across state and federal responsibilities to unite priorities, was rapidly developed in the first 3 weeks of the Centre’s operations.

The Victorian Aged Care Response Centre has also developed a categorisation system for aged care facilities to track the level of resourcing and support they need. This is currently being rolled out across the hub network.

'The hub network streamlines and coordinates aged care resources across metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria,' said Joe Buffone, Executive Officer of the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre.