Rehabilitation services have become increasingly important in healthcare due to a greater focus on the needs of people with disability, the effects of an ageing population, medical advancements that lead to improvements in survival rates and life expectancy for people suffering serious illness and injury. Rehabilitation services remain fundamental in enhancing patients’ functional independence and play an integral role in patient flow across the health care continuum.
The Queensland Rehabilitation Clinical Network was established in 2015 to engage the growing number of rehabilitation physicians, allied health and nursing professionals working in rehabilitation services. The network is comprised of Queensland clinicians working or with an interest in rehabilitation, as well as interested persons from non-government organisations. The Queensland Rehabilitation Clinical Network Steering Committee assists the Clinical Chairs to administer and lead the network and is made up of multidisciplinary clinicians, a general practitioner, and a consumer representative. The committee is co-chaired by Dr Kelly Dungey, Rehabilitation Medicine Physician, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service and Ms Areti Kennedy, Service Manager, Acquired Brain Injury Transitional Rehabilitation Service, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Metro South Hospital and Health Service. Queensland Rehabilitation Clinical Network Steering Committee Meetings are held approximately every six weeks.
The role of the network
- Provide direction and leadership regarding the ongoing and future development of best practice, evidence-based rehabilitation and rehabilitation services in Queensland
- Provide expertise, direction and advice to the Queensland Health executive in relation to rehabilitation and rehabilitation services
Current priorities
- Strengthen the provision of rehabilitation services for adult and paediatric patients through continuity of care.
- Strengthen consumer engagement in rehabilitation services.
- Improve data outputs and benchmarking by strengthening AROC data collection methodology.
- Develop a Queensland Rehabilitation Service Directory
- Support the implementation of the Statewide adult brain injury rehabilitation health service plan 2016-2026 and the Statewide adult spinal cord injury health service plan 2016-2026
Key initiatives
Goal-setting in Rehabilitation Services Project—consumer videos
Consumer videos now located on the Clinical Excellence Queensland Resources webpage - Goal-setting in rehabilitation.
COVID Resources
- Guideline statement for considering impact on rehabilitation services in response to COVID-1
- Post-viral illness recovery (including COVID-19) – community-based clinical decision support tool
- Post COVID symptom map
Network documents
- Recommendations for Establishing and Providing Hypertonicity/Spasticity Services in Queensland
- Trauma Recovery and Rehabilitation Plan
Communique
These communiques provide updates on the work of the network and their recent achievements.
- Edition 17: December 2021
- Edition 16: October 2021
- Edition 15: September 2021
- Edition 14: December 2020
- Edition 13: December 2019
- Edition 12: October 2019
- Edition 11: February 2019
- Edition 10: December 2018
- Special edition: September 2018
- Edition 9: August 2018
- Edition 8: March 2018
- Edition 7: December 2017
Find a rehabilitation service
Use QFinder2.0, the Queensland directory of health and community services, to find a rehabilitation service near you.
Contact us
Email: QldRehabilitationNetwork@health.qld.gov.au
Phone: +61 7 3328 9175
Postal Address: GPO Box 48, Brisbane 4001
