Congratulations to the Mid North Coast Local Health District, whose Aged Care Outreach Service (ACOS) has been recognised with two major honours — the 2026 Board Chair Award and the 2026 ACI Rural Innovation Award.
Garden Village is proud to have been part of ACOS since the early pilot days: embracing new ways of working and collaborating with the MNC Virtual Care team to redesign how urgent care is delivered to older people.
Through virtual consultations, mobile diagnostics and a rapid-response ‘Flying Squad’ nursing team, ACOS brings urgent specialist care directly to residents in the place they call home. Since commencing in August 2025, the service has managed close to 900 urgent referrals, achieved a 90.1% emergency department avoidance rate, and grown from an initial pilot to 33 participating residential aged care homes across the Mid North Coast.
Enabling residents to remain in familiar surroundings, close to the people who know and care for them and avoid a stressful hospital transfer is a great outcome for our residents.
The success of ACOS is thanks to a genuine partnership between aged care homes, residents, families, Healthy North Coast, NSW Ambulance, general practice and the ACOS clinical team. These awards recognise what’s possible when we work together with a shared commitment to improving outcomes for older people.
Congratulations to everyone involved. Watch the video filmed at Garden Village featuring Personal Care Assistant Chloe and Garden Lodge resident Don at Garden Village click here.
