The Department of Health has funded the Adult Brain Injury (ABI) and Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Connect Project to implement statewide service improvements in collaboration with the relevant Queensland Hospital and Health Services (HHSs). The project team comprises Professor Tim Geraghty, Kate Wood (Project Leads) and Jessica Dawber, Christina Kerr and Dr Karleigh Kwapil (Principal Project Officers).
The ABI SCI Connect Project will strengthen and improve access to rehabilitation services for adults with brain and spinal cord injuries across Queensland. Statewide plans endorsed by The Department of Health provide direction and a framework for Queensland HHSs to develop and implement service enhancements over the next 10 years. These enhancements focus on delivering clinical best practice to patients with brain and spinal cord injuries through improved access, capability, quality and coordination and is an opportunity for collaboration and enhancement of services across the state.
This is an exciting opportunity to put statewide plans into action and provide real benefits for people with a brain and spinal cord injury, their carers and families.
Adult Brain Injury and Spinal Cord Injury Connect Project
Summary
Aim
To enhance service delivery and access to rehabilitation services for adults with brain and spinal cord injuries across Queensland.
Benefits
- Improved access to specialist brain and spinal cord injury services across Queensland;
- Support for people with brain and spinal cord injury, their carers and families;
- Networking and integration of services;
- Collaboration between clinicians, facilities and services across the state;
- Enhanced capability of specialised brain and spinal cord injury services.
Background
In 2016 the Department of Health endorsed the Statewide ABI rehabilitation and Statewide adult SCI health service plans 2016-2026 (Statewide Plans). Metro South Hospital and Health Service, Division of Rehabilitation is hosting a project to implement short term (1-2 year) actions of the statewide plans – ABI SCI Connect. Members of the Statewide Rehabilitation Clinical Network (SRbCN) were key contributors in the 2014-2016 development of the statewide plans. The plans proposed that the SRbCN would have an ongoing role in supporting implementation in close collaboration with the ABI and SCI Connect project team and Hospital and Health Services (HHSs) across Queensland. The SRbCN Steering Committee has agreed to support the project.
Solutions Implemented
Engagement and collaboration with future hub services and other key stakeholders will be fundamental to the success of the project. The team has established a project steering committee as well as ABI and SCI clinical advisory networks which will guide and inform the project and its outputs.
