National Coronavirus Helpline

COVID-19 positive patients have access to 24-hour support via the online COVID-19 Symptom and Antiviral Eligibility Checker and the National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080. This service, run by Health Direct, offers a clinical nurse-based assessment and triage service, escalating care when available. 

COVID-19 positive patients who call the National Coronavirus Helpline and are assessed as potentially being eligible for COVID-19 antiviral treatments but who do not require immediate escalation of care due to high risk symptoms, are currently advised to seek assessment with their GP.

The National Coronavirus Helpline will also forward a notification to the nominated usual GP for these patients. 

Where available, patients may also access after-hours locum services and GP respiratory clinics.

Dedicated COVID-19 Clinician Advice Line – Clinician Use Only

The dedicated COVID-19 Clinician Advice Line supports GPs and other clinicians with COVID-19 management in the community and oral antiviral prescribing advice.

GP and other clinicians can call 1800 313 090 to speak with an on duty doctor from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm, 7 days. 

Please note, this phone line is for clinician use only and should not be accessed directly by patients. For clinical governance reasons, non-clinicians who call the number will be redirected to the National Coronavirus Helpline.

Telehealth for patients with COVID-19

Under Medicare rules, a patient must have an existing relationship (have had a face-to-face appointment within the past 12 months) with a general practice to be eligible to access a Medicare rebate for telehealth services by a GP at that practice.

There are specific exemptions from this requirement that allow unrestricted access to rebated telehealth services for patients with COVID-19.

For more information, including other exemption categories, visit the Services Australia website.

GP-led Respiratory Clinics

GP-led Respiratory Clinics play an important role in the assessment, testing and management of patients of all ages with mild to moderate respiratory conditions including COVID-19 and influenza. This care may be via telehealth and/or face to face.

Find more information on GP Respiratory Clinics and Pathways.

SA Health COVID response — Virtual Care Service

Care for patients with symptoms that require urgent assessment is managed by the SA Virtual Care Service via escalation from the National Coronavirus Helpline. It is available 8.00am to 10.00pm, 7 days. Discharge summaries will be provided to the usual GP, where this information is provided.

COVID Care Centre

COVID positive patients needing assessment of symptoms or face-to-face care, can be directly referred to the COVID Care Centre. This includes patients with COVID related clinical concerns and patients who are COVID positive and have unrelated clinical concerns such as other illness or minor injury.

Please note the COVID Care Centre is a clinical referral only service and does not accept walk-ins.

COVIDKids

COVID Kids is a dedicated, referral only, virtual service providing specialist support for children and young people diagnosed with COVID-19. The COVIDKids team of experienced paediatric nurses and doctors will virtually assess children with COVID-19 and offer support and medical advice to families in their own home.

Short term in-home nursing care for COVID positive patients

Home nursing care is available for COVID positive patients who require support that is unable to be provided by their usual GP practice due to COVID-19.  

Services may include:  

  • Wound care  
  • Medical administration i.e., SC, IV  
  • Paediatric  
  • Obstetric/neonatal  
  • Continence management and TOV  

If you are unsure if your patient qualifies for this service, please call the Metropolitan Referral Unit on 1300 110 600. Clinical templates for referral can be found in Adelaide PHN's Resource Library by searching “in home COVID”. The referral forms are listed as Referral Form In Home COVID Care and can be imported to Medical Director, Best Practice or Zedmed.