Playground Consultancy

Have you been down to the local playground lately? Have you played with your child on the school playground? Did you think it could be improved? Did your child get bored quickly? Did you wonder how you could use the equipment better?
More information...

Back to the Bush - WACHS Allied Health Clinical Handover Project

Clinical handover is one of the highest priorities of the Australian Commission on Quality and Safety in Health Care (ACQSHC). Client transfers between acute care tertiary settings and rural community and hospital based health professionals rely on intra-professional handover for safe, efficient and effective client outcomes. There is evidence in the literature, and anecdotally within WA Country Health Service (WACHS), that there are issues related to the intra-professional handover process between allied health professionals. However to date most investigations and strategies to improve handover processes have focused on medical and nursing contexts. Handover tools such as the iSoBAR have been found to improve clinical handover but need further investigation as to the application in the allied health contexts.
This project investigated the key issues arising from clinical handover between physiotherapists and occupational therapists working in acute tertiary metropolitan health services and their collegial counterparts working in rural health services. Findings identified current methods and processes of handover and determined areas where improvement was required. The transferability of the iSoBAR tool to the needs of allied health professionals was considered with potential adaptation identified. Additional areas for further development are recommended in the key areas of knowledge, standards, feedback, reporting, and strategies. Further targeted strategies are required for specific client groups and interventions to reduce the number of incidents currently occurring.
It is anticipated that the outcomes of this project will be transferable other allied health professions and other metropolitan rural hand over contexts (e.g. general hospitals, community services etc).  For more information on the project.....     

Next Challenge Research and Development

An overview of current research by our team of Speech Pathologist, Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists.

Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) (previously known as Dyspraxia) Educational Profiling Tool: Pilot project to trial an evidence based profiling tool designed by Next Challenge.  This tool aims to capture an educational perspective of the impact of DCD/ Dyspraxia on a student's ability to access the educational curriculum.  For more information on the project.....

Are there generic neurodevelopmental therapists in paediatric physiotherapy in Australia?

Project for the Australian Physiotherapy Association National Paediatric Special Group.

The purpose of this project was to establish the current situation regarding generic therapists across Australia in paediatric physiotherapy.

The project consisted of three stages including a literature review, a survey of National Paediatric Special Group members of the Australian Physiotherapy Association and analysis of the data collected in a final report.

A limited response to the email survey (response rate of 10%) provided limited confidence in results, however the survey design allowed analysis of content in the final report.

Overall, it was found that use of generic positions was not widespread in Australia in paediatric physiotherapy.  Improved efficiency and reduced duplication of roles were perceived reasons for the use of generic positions.  The role of integrated service delivery systems such as transdisciplinary models were highlighted as possible factors in the development of generic roles.  Due to lack of agreement on definitions and roles it was difficult to establish a true representation of the current situation.

Future research including clarification of professional roles and boundaries particularly within integrated service delivery systems and therapy assistant models of service delivery is suggested.