Spinal Injury Services
NSW Spinal Outreach Service
The NSW Spinal Outreach Service (SOS) supports people with spinal cord injury (SCI), their carers and local clinicians throughout metropolitan Sydney, rural and regional New South Wales.
Through a skilled team of specialist rehabilitation doctors, nurses and allied health professionals, SOS addresses the ongoing and complex needs of people with SCI following discharge from hospital with the aim of keeping people well and informed about their health, and building the capacity of local clinicians so they can provide the best possible care to clients in their communities.
The service is based at Royal Rehab and works closely with the spinal units at Royal North Shore Hospital and the Prince of Wales Hospital. The SOS service models vary according to the location of the client.
Metropolitan Spinal Outreach Service
The metropolitan service provides multidisciplinary goal-based support, education and clinical interventions for up to 12 months post discharge from a spinal unit. The service has a strong health promotion focus, and it aims to support clients to maintain their health and re-integrate back into their community through linkages with other service providers and networks.
Services are available at client’s homes in line with their needs and goals. It is a requirement of the service that a spinal specialist is involved in the client’s care.
Who can access the Metropolitan Spinal Outreach Service?
People with recent SCI who are being discharged from NSW spinal units and who live with the area bounded by the Southern Highlands, Wyong and Lithgow.
People with a previous SCI who’ve been re-admitted to a spinal injury unit.
Those with a SCI moving from paediatric services.
Rural Spinal Outreach Service
The Rural Spinal Cord Injury Service (RSCIS) links people living in regional and rural NSW with the Sydney-based spinal cord injury units post discharge by providing rural clients with access to a specialist medical and multidisciplinary team review close to where they live. The rural service has an extensive reach, visiting locations across six local health districts as well as providing follow-up phone and in-person support by the rural spinal cord injury coordinators across NSW.
The RSCIS comprises a metropolitan based specialist multidisciplinary team operating out of Royal Rehab. The RSCIS is available for a person living outside of metropolitan Sydney (apart from the Port Kembla/Illawarra and Hunter region) who have a diagnosed SCI. They may be referred to the service via their rural spinal coordinator or directly to RSCIS.
The service primarily consists of nine specialist medical and multidisciplinary clinics to regional centres for people with SCI. Regional centres include, but are not limited to, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Ballina, Tamworth, Armidale, Dubbo, Wagga Wagga, Griffith, Orange, Bathurst, Bega and Moruya.
In addition to clinics, RSCIS provide educational opportunities for clinicians and service providers in regional centres, in addition to clinical support and consultancy for rural clinicians working with complex cases.
Who can access the Rural Spinal Cord Injury Service?
Rural people living in the community with a diagnosed spinal cord injury (whether or not they have been admitted to a spinal cord injury unit).
Rural people with SCI who need specialist medical and multi-disciplinary clinic reviews.
Rural clinicians and service providers requiring specialist spinal education, clinical support and advice.
Please note that clinic numbers may be limited in some areas. Clinic reviews are prioritised according to need. A GP referral and diagnostic review may be required prior to clinic attendance. For further information on SOS, phone 02 9808 9666.
Find out more…
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