North Coast - Paediatric, Adolescent and Child Health Development
Aims and Objectives
- To facilitate implementation of the 12 NSW Health Paediatric Clinical Practice Guidelines;
- To strengthen the Intra and Inter Paediatric Clinical Networks within the NCAHS;
- To foster paediatric, adolescent and child intra government relationships (eg Families First);
- To lead the development and implementation of standardised paediatric, adolescent and child service delivery models (as appropriate) for the NCAHS, including area wide policy, practice and guideline development;
- To facilitate the establishment of clinical supervision, support and development opportunities for paediatric, adolescent and child health clinicians (especially Allied Health staff, in alignment with the recommendations contained in the Statewide Allied Health Needs Analysis conducted last year);
- To identify service gaps (utilising data already collated by the Northern Child Health Network), develop and implement strategies for more accessible deliver of paediatric services across the North Coast Area Health Service;
- To continue to work within the priorities of the Northern Child Health Network and other clinical networks to develop and roll out education programs for a range of health clinicians;
- To develop paediatric linkages with interstate tertiary referral centres;
- To work in collaboration with Northern Child Health Network Coordinator to progress local paediatric issues;
- Coordinate the implementation of statewide enhancement projects within the North Coast Area Health Service.
Description of Project
It is proposed to establish a Paediatric, Adolescent and Child Health Development Project Officer for a period of two years. This position will be responsible for delivery of the aims, objectives and outcomes for this project outlined above. The project will establish systems that will be sustainable beyond the scope of the project.
Expected Outcomes
- Consultations with staff and community, recognising and utilising data already collated by the Northern Child Health Network;
- Multidisciplinary education and training programs;
- Establishment of clear, strong Intra and Inter Paediatric Clinical Networks;
- Full implementation of the 12 NSW Health Paediatric Clinical Practice Guidelines;
- Accurate and timely reporting of service improvements to NSW Health, via the Northern Child Health Network Coordinator reports;
- Demonstrated effective communication strategy with other government and community partners;
- Clinical supervision, support and development opportunities for paediatric, adolescent and child health clinicians (especially Allied Health staff), in alignment with the recommendations contained in the Statewide Allied Health Needs Analysis conducted last year);
- Establishment of standardised (where appropriate) Paediatric, Adolescent and Child Health service delivery models, including area wide policy, practice and guideline development;
- An integrated Paediatric Service operating at Area Health Service and Network level.
Performance Indicators
The success of the project will be measured by:
- Evidence of staff and community consultation
- Evidence of education and training programs conducted
- Evidence of participation in Intra and Inter Paediatric Clinical Networks (eg minutes of meetings, protocols, agreed referral pathways)
- All NCAHS facilities with full implementation of the 12 Paediatric Emergency Department Clinical Guidelines
- Evidence of effective reporting to other government and community partners, via a variety of media
- Evidence of standardised Paediatric, Adolescent and Child Health service delivery models, including area wide policy, practice and guideline development
Progress
Evidence of staff and community consultation
- Area and Four Network Steering Committees established
- The project officer is a member of two Families NSW Area management groups and has attended all meetings so far including planning days
- The project officer has attended Families NSW Network meetings in each sector
- The project officer has held meetings with child and family staff across all sectors to identify issues as well as Community and Allied Health managers and Hospital NUMS / Staff Specialists / VMOS / GPs at variety of venues
- Area Child and Family Planning day held March 2008
- Meetings held with paediatric staff, managers and VMOS at Wauchope, Kempsey, Port Macquarie, Kyogle, Casino Hospitals
Evidence of education and training programs conducted
- Partially funded staff to undertake education and training
- 51 North Coast Area Health service staff attended Child Health Network Newborn services Updates- Coffs Harbour June 2008
- 49 North Coast Area Health service staff attended Child Health Network Newborn services Updates- Tweed Heads November 2008
- Nurse Secondments funded (10 nurses - 4 days each)
- Area CNC Emergency trained In Advanced Paediatric Life Support- to attend
- One staff member trained in asthma educators course 2008
- Two Basic and Advanced Paediatric Life support training courses for paediatric and emergency nursing staff 2008
- Severe Speech Disorders Workshop, Coraki (30 clinicians)
- Allied Health secondment:
- Redbank House, Sydney (one clinician)
- Post Natal Depression, Byron Bay (4 clinicians)
Evidence of participation in Intra and Inter Paediatric Clinical Networks
- Area and Four Network Steering Committees established
- Tweed Allied Health service review - participation in clinical services redesign march 2008
- Participation in NCHN advisory committee Allied Health project steering committee; 2008 Conference Organising committee; NCHN Aboriginal Families Journey Advisory Group
- Participation on Area Steering committees - Otitis Media, Aboriginal Infant and Maternal Health, Child Protection, Perinatal care (Mental Health)
- Participation in State Committees - Child and family Managers group; NSW Health Families NSW group
- Meetings held with paediatric staff, managers and VMOS at Wauchope, Kempsey, Port Macquarie, Kyogle, Casino Hospitals
All NCAHS facilities with full implementation of the 12 Paediatric Emergency Department Clinical Guidelines
- Training of GPs and Nurses across area conducted during 2008 by CNCs Paediatrics - assisted area CNC Paediatric nurses with this via funding resources and training
Evidence of effective reporting to other government and community partners, via a variety of media
- The project officer is a member of two Families NSW Area management groups and has attended all meetings so far, including planning days for 2008
- The project officer has attended Families NSW Network meetings in each sector (10 across the two DOCS areas). This enables key government parties to be informed of relevant child and family health issues.
- When possible government and non government stakeholders have been invited to relevant Child and Family education activities.
- Contribution to NCHN newsletter and website - relevant education/ information
Evidence of standardised Paediatric, Adolescent and Child Health service delivery models, including area wide policy, practice and guideline development
- Developed and released
- Paediatric Admissions in Hospitals with role delineation 1,2 and 3
- Policies in progress
- Security of Children Admitted to North Coast Area facilities
- Intake procedures (linking with New Child Health assessment by nurses using PEDS)
Discussion
Achievement
- Planning day March 2008 with key recommendations taken to area executive
- Three project officers appointed and NCHN funded projects underway
- High levels of participation in education and development and secondment opportunities
- Regular and effective Health service representation on key regional interagency groups- Families NSW Area Management -Far North Coast and Mid North Coast
- Regular and effective Health service representation on key state and area health groups- NSW Health State Child and Family Managers; NSW Health Families NSW;Northern Child Health Network Steering Committee; Inaugural NSW Child Health Network Conference Committee; North Coast Area Child Protection Committee: North Coast DOCS and Health Executive Joint Meeting-Child Protection
Issues
- Increase in births leading to increased demand for Paediatric health services
- Inconsistent intake and referral processes across the area
- Need to progress development of Area Child Health plan
- Allied Health service levels vary according to resource levels and attitudes to provision of services to babies, children and families
- Child and Family Nurse staffing levels need to be increased to meet NSW Health Families NSW benchmarks
Challenges
- Development of area Child and family Plan
- Development of a clinical stream
- Workforce- Paediatric - succession planning poor in some locations
- Implementation of STEPS program
- This position ended in January 2009
Barriers
- Resources
- Attitudes
- Conflicting demands on available resources by chronic, acute and aged care services