Paediatric Brain Injury Rehabilitation Team

About the Paediatric Brain Injury Rehabilitation Team (PBIRT)

The Paediatric Brain Injury Rehabilitation Team (PBIRT) provides multidisciplinary assessment and management of rehabilitation needs for children and young people with an acquired brain injury. This includes medical assessment, case management and Allied Health assessment and management.

Long term support and assistance with school and leisure is also provided. The aims of PBIRT are:

• To support the child and family with transition from the acute hospital setting into the community.
• To educate and support the family, school and other community agencies involved with the child and young person.
• To provide interdisciplinary assessment and management to children and young people with acquired brain injury.
• To provide consultation and outreach support to the child or young person and their family who live in rural and regional areas as well as provide support to rural and regional health workers and educators working with the child.

What services are provided?

Services are provided to children and young people who acquire a brain injury after birth. We provide services to the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie area as well as Upper and Lower Hunter and Central Coast region. Consultative services are also provided to the Manning, North Coast, New England and surrounding areas.

Services include:

• Medical Review
• Case Management
• Neuropsychology
• Physiotherapy
• Occupational Therapy
• Speech Pathology
• Social Work

Assessments provided:

• Medical Assessment
• Neuropsychological Assessments
• Speech, Language and Literacy Assessments
• Assessments of Activities of Daily Living
• Fine Motor Assessments
• Gross Motor Assessments
• Behavioural Assessments
• Psychological Assessments
• Educational Facility Assessments
• Vocational Assessments

Do I need a referral and how do I make an appointment?

A referral can be made by anyone (with parental consent). Reports or documentation verifying that the child or young person has sustained a brain injury may be required. Once eligibility for the service has been confirmed, services may begin.

Locations and contact details

Community Services

Address:        Level 1, 621 Hunter Street, Newcastle West 2302
Postal:            PO Box 2563, Dangar, NSW, 2309
Phone:            4925 7963
Fax:                 4925 7955
Contact:         Team Leader or Clinical Nurse Consultant
Hours:             Monday to Friday 8am to 4.30pm.
Fees:             This is a free service. If a child's rehabilitation is compensable then the relevant authority (insurance company or Life-Time Care and Support Scheme) will be billed for services
Wheelchair: There is wheelchair access

Inpatient Services

Address:        John Hunter Children's Hospital, Lookout Road, New Lambton Heights
Phone:            4921 3932
Fax:                 4921 3599
Contact:         Team Leader or Clinical Nurse Consultant
Hours:             Monday to Friday 8am to 4.30pm.
Fees:             This is a free service. If a child's rehabilitation is compensable then the relevant authority (insurance company or Life-Time Care and Support Scheme) will be billed for services
Wheelchair: There is wheelchair access

Looking Ahead - Returning to School after an Acquired Brain Injury

Looking Ahead is a practical resource for teachers and other carers working with children who return to school after an acquired brain injury.
We follow Nick's journey from hospital back to the classroom meeting the many people who help him along the way.
We hope that this comprehensive and engaging tool will provide valuable insights into the management of this sometimes daunting process.

DVD

Looking Ahead - Nick's journey from hospital to school (wmv) 79M - 25.5 min

The role of members of the Paediatric Brain Inury Rehabilitation Team:

• Case manager (wmv) 49M - 8 min
• Neurologist (wmv) 28M - 4.5 min
• Neuropsychologist (wmv) 39M - 6.5 min
• Occupational Therapist (wmv) 38M - 6.5 min
• Physiotherapist (wmv) 31M - 5 min
• Psychiatrist (wmv) 72M - 12 min
• Social worker (wmv) 17M 2.5 min
• Speech pathologist (wmv) 41M - 7 min

Mechanisms of brain injury (wmv) 18M - 2.5 min

A school's perspective on a child's return to school (wmv) 35M 6.5 min

Two families' perspective on transition to school

• Jonathon's family (wmv) 31M - 5.5 min
• Rory's family (wmv) 94M - 16 min

Aspects of insurance and funding (wmv) 30M - 5 min

Acknowledgements

This DVD was produced by Northern Sydney Carer Support Service Northern Sydney Central Coast Health Service (NSCCAHS) in conjunction with Kaleidoscope's Paediatric Brain Injury Rehabilitation Team at the John Hunter Children's Hospital (JHCH), Newcastle who retain Copyright for the DVD. All rights reserved. No part of this material may be reproduced without the prior written permission of NSCCAHS and JHCH.

For copies, phone the Carer Support Service on 02 8877 5141 or email carersns@nsccahs.health.nsw.gov.au

Thank you to the Motor Accidents Authority who funded production of this valuable resource.

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