Charter Medical Private Hospital in Ballinderry has entered a new partnership with the HSE to provide a free at the point of care rapid access clinic for people over the age of 60. 
We are accepting referrals from GP’s and area for patients will open on March 22nd.

Rapid Access, Medicine for the Elderly Clinic (RAC) is a HSE funded initiative run by Charter Medical Private Hospital for patients aged 60 and over require an urgent but non-critical review by a geriatrician. 
This service is located on site in Charter Medical Private Hospital operating from its CMPH Suite in Ballinderry Clinic. Free at the point of care for patients, the service will run five days a week (Monday to Friday 8.30am-5pm) and will be staffed by specially trained medical and nursing teams under the supervision of Professor Dermot Power, Consultant Geriatrician, Medicine for the Elderly.

A GP referral is required by patients for the public clinic, where they can avail of a range of services including MRI/CT/ X-Ray/Ultrasound/Dexa. There will be a two-week turnaround time for patients from initial review to plan of care and referral onwards to appropriate intervention. Patients will be offered an appointment within 72 hours of referral. The referral criteria includes but is not limited to patients with a history of recurrent falls, weight loss, cognitive impairment and/or reduced mobility.

The RAC model will support a reduction in long waits in Emergency Departments for non-acute issues and provides rapid diagnosis and quick turnarounds which significantly enhance patient outcomes.

The Clinic does not provide long-term follow up; it aims to address specific urgent medical problems identified by the referring doctor. Once these issues are addressed and an appropriate plan of care identified, the majority of patients are discharged back into the care of their GPs in the community with a bespoke care plan, thus avoiding unnecessary further hospital attendance or admission.