Brain injury specialist rehabilitation services are provided by LHDs and the Sydney Children’s Hospital Specialty Network.
Rehabilitation services across NSW are supported and enhanced by 13 specialised Brain Injury Rehabilitation Programs (BIRPs) located in 11 different LHDs. An additional two paediatric BIRPs are located in the Sydney Children’s Hospital Specialty Network. A number of other specialised rehabilitation programs also support rehabilitation services for a defined patient population, e.g. cerebral palsy, burn injury, spinal cord injury and stroke.
NSW Health has 15 LHDs and three specialty networks. Each has a governing board with overall responsibility for the strategic direction and operational efficiency of their LHD or specialty network. LHDs and specialty networks are established to operate public hospitals and institutions and provide health services to communities within geographical areas or a defined patient population for specialty networks. BIRPs existed before the current LHD boundaries were devised. The BIRP may provide services that overlap multiple LHDs.
The responsibilities of the LHDs and specialty networks are to:
- promote, protect and maintain the health of residents in the area
- conduct and manage public hospitals, health institutions, health services and health support services under its control
- achieve and maintain adequate standards of patient care and services and ensure the efficient and economic operation of its health services and health support services and use of its resources
- cooperate with other LHDs and the NSW Ministry of Health in relation to the provision of services
- make public information and advice concerning public health and health services available to the public within its area.
In NSW Health the LHDs and speciality networks strive to reflect the core values of collaboration, openness, respect and empowerment in our workplace.
Key questions for LHDs and the Sydney Children’s Hospital Specialty Network
- Are the foundational inputs in place?
- Are the foundational activities in place?
- How can local decision-making at the LHD (and speciality network) level and a statewide brain injury specialist rehabilitation network be best achieved?
- How can an equitable and transparent access to brain injury specialist rehabilitation services be achieved across the whole of NSW?
- What is in the best interests of the clients across the whole of NSW?