Paediatric Brain Injury Rehabilitation Team
The Paediatric Brain Injury Rehabilitation Team (PBIRT) provides specialist multidisciplinary assessment and case management for children and young people with acquired brain injuries.
Services provided
- Support for child and family with transition from the acute hospital setting into the community
- Multidisciplinary medically led rehabilitation clinics
- Initial rehabilitation care planning
- Provision of time limited, goal focused multidisciplinary rehabilitation programs
- Psychosocial support
- Referral to Botulinum Toxin Clinic where indicated
- Consultation on therapy regimes
- Liaison with education and school support staff
- Home / school programmes
- Referral to and ongoing liaison with local community services
- Support for health professionals caring for children living in regional and remote locations including via TeleHealth
- Outreach clinics to Tamworth and Taree
Who provides services?
- Medical Specialist
- Nursing staff
- Allied Health staff including Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist, Speech Pathologist, Social Work, Psychology, Art Therapy and Music Therapy
Staff
- Dr Robert Smith – Staff Specialist
- Jenny Harben / Ella Aitchison – CNC
- Marney Leeson / Melissa Smith – Physio
- Noni Payling / Katrina Dathan-Horder – OT
- Teigan Keating – SP
- Harriet Ferguson – Social Work
- Wendy McConnell – Clinical Psychologist
- Julie Nichols – Art Therapy
- Sean Nolan – Music Therapy
- Michelle Pietroboni – Child Life Therapy
- Louise Konz - Dietitian
- Donna Jones / Janet Zacharko – Allied Health Assistant
- Connie Carlyon - Administration Officer
Referral Requirements
Children must:
- Have a diagnosis of acquired brain injury after birth with an identified need for a multidisciplinary assessment of function.
- Be aged 0-18 years.
- New referrals for children aged 16 to 18 years will be reviewed on an individual basis to determine allocation to paediatric or adult services.
- Reside within the Child Health Network - Northern
- Require a multidisciplinary assessment, medical and therapeutic interventions (i.e. not a referral for a specific discipline or maintenance)