Miss Emma O’Mealley1, Ms Gillian Clark 1 Ms Carly Hislop1
1Qld Health Child Development Service, Kirwan, Child Development Services Kirwan Health Campus
Biography:
Carly Hislop has worked as Allied Health Team Leader Child Development Service Townsville since 2012. She has implemented many local service improvement initiatives, enhancing access to specialist developmental supports, including outreach, youth detention in-reach, and FASD diagnostic services. Carly completed a Master of Health Leadership and Management in 2021.
Abstract:
Requests for diagnostic developmental assessments have increased, resulting in significant service pressures and excessive wait times. Referrals may contain limited information while also identifying some of the most vulnerable children. There are also instances of referral duplication for common concerns.
The Townsville Hospital and Health Service (THHS) Community Children’s Services previously utilised a siloed, multi-entry, multi-service intake model. This approach did not always address concerns raised, often resulting in lengthy and uncoordinated diagnostic journeys. THHS addressed these inefficiencies by developing a single-entry, integrated intake model, focussed on client-centred needs.
THHS Child Development Service (CDS) have implemented a single-entry, “no wrong door” intake model, integrating Community Paediatrics, CDS and Child Health Nursing with collaboration from Child and Youth Mental Health, generalist allied health services, and community stakeholders. When triaged, families are allocated to the right service, using available information, and are progressed through integrated children’s services, based on identified needs until they are diagnostically understood or stable.
The revised intake model was benchmarked off the Melbourne Royal Children’s Hospital, referencing current evidence base and adapted to meet local needs.
The implementation of the revised Intake Model has resulted in improved co-ordination of care for children, timelier access to services that meet the child’s needs and reduced duplication of care. When families receive the right service at the right time, systemic service issues may also be relieved.