About Kaleidoscope

Established in October 2002 Kaleidoscope acts as an umbrella organisation that integrates a range of health care services designed to meet the ever-changing health needs of babies, children, young people and their families.

Extending from the flagship John Hunter Children's Hospital in Newcastle, this single network brings together the vast range of hospital and community-based services in the Lake Macquarie, Upper and Lower Hunter, Port Stephens, Lower Mid North Coast and Greater Newcastle regions.

Kaleidoscope links together children's services at hospitals across the region, including Taree, Maitland, Cessnock, Kurri Kurri, Muswellbrook, Scone and Singleton as well as a wide range of community-based services including mental health.

Many children visit the Hunter for specialist health services each year, particularly from the Mid-North Coast and New England regions of New South Wales. In fact, John Hunter Children's Hospital provides services to about 20% of the State's population of children aged up to 16 years.

What we do

Kaleidoscope is the Children's Health Network, an organisational structure that facilitates population health planning and service provision for the community who live in the Hunter New England Health region. Kaleidoscope links clinical services for children, young people and their families, with professional disciplines within the geographic regions of the Hunter and New England. The Network is responsible for providing an accessible integrated system of health care throughout the region.

John Hunter Children's Hospital

John Hunter Children's Hospital is one of three Children's Hospitals in New South Wales, the specialist treatment and services available mean that 99% of children in the Hunter New England region no longer need to travel to Sydney to receive the same high quality of health care.

Supported by the infrastructure on the adult campus, the John Hunter Children's Hospital cares for newborn babies along with children and young people ranging in age from just 23 weeks gestation to 18 years of age.

The Northern Child Health Network

The Northern Child Health Network is one of three paediatric networks in New South Wales, which were established in 2001 by NSW Health in response to the Government Action Plan (GAP) for Health. Each network incorporates metropolitan and rural partners and is based on an assessment of flow patterns for paediatric inpatient care. The NCHN provides support, education and advocacy for health professionals who work with children in Hunter New England and North Coast Area Health Services and is linked to the John Hunter Children's Hospital.

Children's services in NSW are networked to ensure high quality clinical care is available as close as possible to home for all children. The focus is a shared approach to service development with common guidelines for care, accompanied by staff training and development. It clearly links each local paediatric unit with one or two of the specialist Children's Hospitals in NSW.

Vision, Mission and Values

Vision:

Healthy Happy Kids

Mission:

Kaleidoscope will lead the way in health care excellence for children and young people from the bush to the beach

Values:

Teamwork, Respect, Courage, Caring, Excellence, Honesty, Commitment