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Background
Infants born very pre-term are at increased risk of cerebral palsy and other developmental delays and similar risks apply to infants who experience any event that may cause neurological deficits. Developmental surveillance utilising evidence-based tools by suitably qualified clinicians is highly recommended by current scientific literature and peak medical bodies to reduce the burden of disease on the child, family and community, as the child grows.
In the Central Australian context, lack of access to early allied health assessment has been linked to high youth incarceration rates, with one report finding nearly half the children in youth detention having multiple diagnoses of cognitive disabilities. Recruitment and retention of suitably qualified allied health staff exacerbate issues of remoteness, cultural safety and socioeconomic factors which combine to impact access to health services and the early intervention key to supporting developmental and educational outcomes for children with disabilities.
Aims and Method
The Grow Us Strong Clinic is a new model of service for children aged 0-2 which has been developed as a multidisciplinary assessment and intervention service based at the Alice Springs Hospital (ASH) in collaboration with the community-based Children’s Development Team, involving paediatricians, physiotherapy, speech pathology and nursing. Eligible children can be followed up to two years of age and assessed using standardised neurodevelopmental assessments for early diagnosis of cerebral palsy and other neurodevelopmental delays, medical review and regular support and education for families and carers. It streamlines current practice for consistent and sustainable service delivery addressing service gaps and duplication in response to consumer feedback while additionally providing support for the multidisciplinary team and supervision and training of therapists ensuring sustainability of the service.
Results/Evaluation
The GUS multi-disciplinary clinic is currently under trial running weekly from February to July 2025, with comparative evaluation for the same period in 2024 looking at multidisciplinary team satisfaction, consumer feedback, appointment attendance and percentages of children achieving diagnostic pathway assessments, reporting and referral.
Anticipated outcomes include early diagnosis of cerebral palsy and other neurodevelopmental delays, referral and early intervention, increasing family and psychosocial support in the early years, with impacts on other sectors down the line such as education and corrections. The GUS clinic has potential to reduce hospital admissions and burden on the health system and is expected to improve resilience of the allied health paediatric service through providing training and development opportunities across disciplines and acute and community services, reducing burnout and improving staff retention and satisfaction. |
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