The core components of the BIRP paediatric network of services are:
- inpatient rehabilitation (dedicated bed)
- in-reach to acute and sub-acute services
- community-based rehabilitation
- transition to adult services
- discharge.
There are many pathways through these core components. See Part E: Settings and pathways: the continuum of care.
Inpatient rehabilitation (dedicated bed)
In major children's hospitals there are inpatient wards for specialist rehabilitation for children who are medically stable and require a high level of care, or who have had a severe or very severe brain injury.
The units operate 24/7 with doctors, nurses, allied health and support staff.
In-reach for sub-acute rehabilitation
The core components of the network of BIRP paediatric services consist of In-reach specialised brain injury rehabilitation services. Early notification facilitates the provision of specialised rehabilitation to children with an acquired brain injury (traumatic and non-traumatic) admitted to acute care beds in the three metropolitan paediatric trauma hospitals in NSW. The majority of children are discharged from acute care and receive subacute rehabilitation as an outpatient.
Community-based rehabilitation
Community-based rehabilitation is where therapy is delivered and practiced in everyday environments within the child’s home, school and community. Only one rural LHD has a multidisciplinary paediatric team to provide community-based rehabilitation. Community rehabilitation includes outpatient therapy services.
Outpatient medical and multidisciplinary clinics are provided in metropolitan and some rural areas.
Case management
Case management is integral to the specialist paediatric brain injury rehabilitation team. Rural paediatric BIRP case managers are co-located with adult, rural BIRPs for specialist rehabilitation case management services.