For patients with a disability who require funded support to leave the hospital, the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) represents opportunities and challenges. There are often additional challenges for people with disabilities when accessing hospital services.
It is important to ensure the person has access to their usual disability support during hospitalisation. Involve parents, other family members, and/or disability workers as much as possible. These people are likely to be familiar with the symptoms that indicate illness or that the person’s condition is deteriorating. They can also assist to manage any anxiety, confusion, or stress.
There is no disputing that most participants can and should be supported in hospitals without using NDIS funds, and no one would disagree that health services are required to make reasonable adjustments to provide care and support to all Australians. This universality of quality healthcare is a key part of the National Disability Strategy, and we are 100% in support of it. However, we understand that the quality of such services is not consistent across all hospitals, and thus, we bring our participants from the hospital to home support services.
Through Hospital to Home Support, our aim at Paradise is to provide you care that you would otherwise get in a hospital. The hospital in-home service also makes sure you remain under the care of the unit or ward you were in and nurses cater to your needs in this homecare hospital environment. The said nurses are linked to the home and hospital and give constant updates to the medical team about your needs and progress. The doctor will also visit your hospital in-home at least once a week. People can be offered hospital-to-home services in Sydney if the healthcare team deems that their care can be delivered at home safely.
Supporting people with complex conditions in hospitals requires thorough planning and effective communication to achieve the best health outcomes for the person and minimize any harm. And sometimes this planning and communication are best done by a support worker who knows the person well, not by a healthcare worker who has just met them and has no specific or advanced training in supporting people with their disability.
Sydney Office:
