The Selwyn Foundation enters innovative strategic partnership with OmniHealth for retirement village medical services

New Zealand charitable trust, The Selwyn Foundation, has entered into a strategic partnership with primary healthcare provider, OmniHealth, for the provision of general practice medical services at its two largest retirement village sites in Auckland, following a competitive Request for Proposal process.

The partnership will see Omnihealth providing GP and nursing clinics to independent living and residential care residents at Selwyn Village in Point Chevalier and Selwyn Heights in Hillsborough.

The new service model, which will take effect from 4 November 2019, follows a review by Selwyn of the operational effectiveness of its village general practice medical centres which it owns and operates.

The existing team of four GPs (three of whom are contractors), a practice nurse and receptionist/administrator are expected to transfer to OmniHealth and will continue operating from the villages’ onsite medical centres, thus offering continuity for residents. A new practice manager will join the team, and a second practice nurse is also to be appointed. Physiotherapy is not included under the new arrangement and will continue to be delivered by Selwyn’s own physiotherapists.

To complement the GP and nurse clinic services, OmniHealth will provide a comprehensive after-hours nurse triaging call service for independent living residents enrolled with each village practice (in addition to Selwyn’s existing emergency call bell and on-site responder system) and will also offer an online patient portal for appointment bookings.

The new service model will see OmniHealth enter the residential aged care arena for the first time, providing GP services for Selwyn’s four care homes across both villages, as per the requirements of Selwyn’s Aged Residential Care Agreement with Auckland DHB.

CEO of The Selwyn Foundation Garry Smith said, “This innovative strategic partnership is an exciting new initiative for both The Selwyn Foundation and OmniHealth. We’re confident that it will provide an effective, quality service for our residents and will be a long-term, sustainable medical services model that will meet the changing needs of our resident communities for many years to come.”

OmniHealth Director Mark Wills said, “OmniHealth is very much looking forward to working with The Selwyn Foundation. We are also pleased to have secured the skills and experience of the existing team of doctors, nurse and administrator to ensure continuity of the service.”

The Foundation is now working to ensure a smooth transition to OmniHealth, whose branding for their new venture will be Senior Care Health Centre.