Nurse practitioners and GPs--addressing the needs of older persons living in residential aged care.

The Australian population is becoming progressively older, placing significant pressure on both the supply of supported accommodation and health services. Collaboration between general practitioners and nurse practitioners over the care of people living in residential aged care facilities has the potential to promote continuity of care, decrease hospitalisations and readmissions, enhance patient satisfaction, reduce costs, enhance working relations between medicine and nursing, and improve residents' access to care. It will require improved communication and the overcoming of several attitudinal and organisational barriers.