Mid North Coast IPTAAS Co-ordinator Samantha Piper, Renee Hamers and Rebecca Muney were recently visited by Nathan Nute, the Program Manager from Open Support which runs the Country Care link Program, and provided the team with a beneficial education session on the program.
Program helps reduce costs and stress for regional patients
Jun 29, 2023People living outside major cities and towns can receive financial and travel support to assist them in accessing specialised healthcare.
The Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme (IPTAAS) helps people living outside major cities by subsidising travel costs associated with treatment, including private vehicle travel, public transport and air travel if required for medical reasons.
The scheme also provides accommodation subsidies for eligible patients.
The Mid North Coast Local Health District’s IPTAAS Co-ordinator Samantha Piper said the IPTAAS team regularly hear from patients who struggle to navigate and afford the travel expenses associated with accessing specialist care.
“Many patients have lived in rural or regional areas their entire life and the thought of stepping off at Central Train Station in Sydney and navigating their way to their appointment can be stressful and daunting,” she said.
Ms Piper said under the scheme, the Country Care Link program is a 100 per cent free of charge transport program that aims to help bridge the gap in access to healthcare for those who live in regional NSW.
“With more than 1,500 trips every year, the program enables country people to attend their medical appointment or receive specialised care in Sydney by providing transport services across the city without the added hassle and stress of having to navigate the city,” she said.
The MNCLHD IPTAAS team were recently visited by Nathan Nute, the Program Manager from Open Support which runs the Country Care link Program, who provided the team with a beneficial education session on the program.
By partnering with Country Care Link, IPTAAS can provide patients travelling to Sydney with details on the program in the hope of reducing the stress and financial burden and creating an overall more comfortable medical journey.
For more information visit the IPTAAS website