The Barwon Health Post Acute Care (BPAC) service provides short-term, community-based services, and home-based treatment and support to help clients recover at home after leaving hospital.

Conditions seen

The Post Acute Care team support a range of community-based services, such as:

  • Community Nursing (e.g. wound care, catheter care)
  • Home Help (e.g. assistance with cleaning)
  • Shopping (accompanied or unaccompanied)

Barwon Health Post Acute Care services are time-limited and available for up to 4 weeks after a public hospital stay. Each person’s needs are assessed individually and the services available will vary for each person.

Please note that the BPAC services do not incur a service fee, however clients may need to contribute to the cost of consumables (such as wound dressings).

Conditions not seen

Barwon Health Post Acute Care does not accept referrals for clients:

  • who were discharged from a public hospital more than 28 days ago
  • who were discharged from a private hospital
  • who reside outside the Geelong, Greater Geelong, Surf Coast and Golden Plains areas. Clients who do not live in these areas are eligible to receive Post Acute Care services from their local health service provider.

How do I access this service?

To be seen in this service:

  • You need to have been discharged from a public hospital (including emergency departments, acute and sub-acute services) within the past 28 days.
  • You need a referral. The referral can be from your GP, a specialist doctor, your Barwon Health doctor or from a healthcare provider.

Appointment timeframe

All referrals that meet the BPAC eligibility criteria are brokered as soon as we receive them.

Estimated timeframe for commencement of nursing care is between 1 and 3 days. Estimated timeframe to receive Home Help and Shopping is between 1 and 2 weeks.

For Health Professionals

Referrals should include:

  • Client details including name, address, date of birth, and contact phone numbers
  • Relevant clinical history
  • Reason for referral
  • Relevant associated documents relating to the referral (i.e. associated wound care chart or medication chart)
  • Name and contact details of referrer

Please contact 03 4215 7707 or 03 4215 7715 to discuss ALL new referrals.

Please email referral to [email protected] after you have discussed your referral with a BPAC clinician.

Page last updated: January 19, 2026