A new free virtual urgent care service has been rolled out across all of NSW, providing in-home access to clinical care for non-life-threatening illnesses—no hospital or GP visit needed. A registered nurse will first assess your condition over the phone and, if appropriate, set up a video consultation with a clinician.
Local Member for Lismore, Janelle Saffin, welcomes the service, saying it offers urgent access to expert advice for minor injuries and illnesses from the comfort of home. “Too often, people head straight to Emergency Departments because they can’t get a GP—this new virtual care pathway changes that,” she said.
Available every day from 8 am to 10 pm, the service can handle a wide range of conditions: coughs, colds, flu, fevers, vomiting, diarrhoea, mild infections, rashes, and minor injuries like sprains and small cuts. Behind the scenes, the service employs around 80 full-time clinical and administrative staff across NSW.
Health Minister Ryan Park says the digital rollout aims to reduce pressure on busy EDs while providing quicker care. Over the past year, nearly 16,000 people have already accessed virtual care, adding to more than 216,000 urgent care visits statewide.
The service is part of a broader health strategy that includes $100 million for urgent care services, expansion of short-stay units, real-time ambulance coordination systems, and home-based care programs—for a safer, more efficient path to treatment outside the ED.
