YDHS Annual Report 2006 (2.4Mb pdf) - GHA Central

Community Services
Yarram and District Health Service Community Services is
committed to the provision of quality service provision to
ensure the ongoing wellbeing of the local community. The
improvements made during the financial year 2005-06 have
highlighted this commitment.
The Community Service Client Intake process has continued to
be the cornerstone of assessment and screening of
community clients, ensuring services needed by clients are
provided in a timely, efficient and effective manner.
During the year approximately 250 people received a needs
based assessment and referral to community services. Further
development of the Client Intake service will occur in coming
years as the Initial Needs Identification process changes and
regional referral becomes electronic.
The Youth and Family Service Department has been
restructured as a result of being awarded the Wellington Shire
Family Support Innovations Project “Wellington Working
Together with Families.” This funding was provided to the
Wellington Working Together with Families partnership of
Kilmany UnitingCare, Ramahyuck Aboriginal Corporation and
Yarram and District Health Service.
The purpose of the funding is to provide community based
family support to families at risk of becoming involved with
child protection and has funded the addition of a new Family
Support Worker. This new worker raises the Family Support
staffing to 1.0 FTE from 0.3 FTE.
The financial year also saw the addition of Maternal and Child
Health service to the suite of Community Services. This service
assesses the health and wellbeing of children up to the age of
4 years old.
The continued professional development of Health Service staff
is essential to the success of many programs delivered from
this area. This year community services staff have been
supported in their skill development, attending short courses
and seminars on ageing and sensory loss, Huntington’s
Disease, Motivational Interviewing, Risk Management, Falls
Prevention, Needle exchange and Oxygen Equipment and
safety issues.
Report on Operations
During the year, client outcomes for several exercise programs
were reviewed, including balance and mobility, cardiac
rehabilitation and pulmonary rehabilitation. Positive results and
feedback were noted for most clients, in all aspects of health
(emotional, social and physical).
Australian Therapy Outcome Measures (AusTOMS) have been
introduced and completed for selected clients of
Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech Pathology
services, which will assist with the review of client outcomes
and therapy techniques. Care plans are also being conducted
with all clients, to ensure client consent and participation in
their therapy goals and treatment.
A service coordination model was introduced for paediatric
clients, in order to ensure that their needs are being met by all
services. In this model, family meetings and case coordination
meetings are held between the Maternal and Child Health
Nurse, Family Support workers and Allied Health therapists.
A multidisciplinary project is being completed to better
manage inpatients with dysphagia (swallowing) difficulties. It
involves Speech Pathology, Dietetics, Catering and Nursing
staff and the focus to date has been on menu plans,
documentation and client communication.
The equipment loan system has been reviewed and
improvements made to the storage and maintenance of
equipment. Equipment loans are now recorded electronically,
increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of tracking loan
equipment.
The podiatry and occupational therapy services are currently
(2006-07) under review, in order to provide an increased
service to clients in need. Policies and procedures continue to
be developed and reviewed throughout the department, to
provide standardised and quality care to all clients.
Staff members are regularly completing professional
development and training. Monthly in-services have been
introduced, with each staff member responsible for providing
an in-service once or twice per year.
Allied Health
During the year, the Allied Health team has continued to
provide the following services to residents of the local
community:
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physiotherapy,
occupational therapy,
speech pathology,
dietetics,
podiatry and
personal alarm assessment
These services are provided to residents of St Elmo’s Nursing
Home and Crossley House; acute, rehabilitation, and geriatric
evaluation and management inpatients, and community clients,
of varying ages and abilities.
Practicing our listening and fine motor skills, in the Early
Years Language Group pictured with Gabrielle Diplock,
Speech Pathologist.
Yarram and District Health Service Annual Report 2006
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