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Physiotherapy

Aims of the Physiotherapy Department

Consistent with the philosophy, mission and values of the Sisters of Charity, the Physiotherapy Department aims to:

1. Provide a safe, effective and cost-efficient physiotherapy service that places emphasis on integrated team performance and evidence-based practices to deliver the highest quality of care to patients within the available resources.
   
   

2. Offer the highest standard of clinical education to all students.
   
   

3. Be a resource for the education of patient and manual handling to clinical staff in the hospital; and
   
   

4. Provide a supportive environment for the professional and personal development of both staff and students.

Structure of the Physiotherapy Department

The Physiotherapy Department’s structure reflects two major streams of care: 

• Acute and Outpatients, and

• Sub-Acute and Community.

There are other St. Vincent’s Health physiotherapists who are part of programs such as Rehabilitation-in-the-Home, the Centre for Pain Management and Polio Services Victoria. These physiotherapists are professionally accountable to the Physiotherapy Department.

There is a strong physiotherapy presence within the community through the three associated Community Rehabilitation Centres. These cover the cities of Boroondara, Yarra and Darebin and are accessible to people of all ages.

Statement of purpose

St. Vincent’s Health has a proud record of innovation, development and best practice in patient care and service delivery models. The physiotherapy department is no exception. SVH has established clinical credibility in the area of physiotherapy with a large department of highly skilled health care professionals who provide clinical support for all of the organisation’s activities.

Teaching, training and research are core activities that assist in our ability to strive for clinical excellence. Many of our senior clinicians have higher postgraduate qualifications, with extensive clinical experience. In addition, SVH has many affiliations with post secondary training and research institutions including The University of Melbourne and La Trobe University. This facilitates our ability to keep abreast of recent knowledge and advancements in clinical management.

The physiotherapy staff work as team members alongside other health professionals throughout St. Vincent’s Health facilities. The physiotherapists aim to provide the highest quality of care by contributing to the health team through their knowledge and skills in the area of analysis and management of physical problems that patients may have.

The department provides a service to all inpatient units and most outpatient units as well as servicing the Rehabilitation Unit inpatients and Same Day Rehabilitation patients.

As part of the St. Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne Clinical School, the department also provides clinical teaching and supervised clinical experience for over 100 physiotherapy students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Relevant research activities are promoted within the department, especially clinically based research.

The department is available as a resource in the area of manual handling and especially in patient handling and has the knowledge and skills to assist in creating a safe working environment for all staff.

The department also acts as a Community Resource in the area of physiotherapy practice.

Staffing profile

The current structure of the Physiotherapy Department is based on the acute and sub-acute alignment of services within the Integrated and Sub-Acute Care program. This assists in the maintenance of specialist areas of practice, career structures, diverse clinical opportunities for entry-level practitioners and a focus on clinical education in the core areas of physiotherapy practice.

The Physiotherapy Department is divided into five streams:

• cardiothoracic

• musculoskeletal

• neurosciences

• geriatrics and

• rehabilitation

There are currently 14 grade 1 rotations.  Rotations are four months in length and offer a wide range of experience. 

All rotations are supervised by a Grade 2/3 clinician and are well supported.  The supervising clinicians are always willing to assist and answer questions and provide supervision time/tutes.

With all rotations there is a strong team emphasis – team based physio as well as interdisciplinary care working closely with nursing, occupation therapy, social work, prosthetics/orthotics, medical and other staff.

Current Grade 1 rotations

Cardio Team:

• Cardio A - general medical units, general medicine exercise class.

• Cardio B - general medical unit, oncology, haematology and renal units, general medicine exercise class.

• Cardio M - emergency department, cardiac rehabilitation, heart failure class, pulmonary rehabilitation class, various inpatient units.

• Cardio S - colorectal, hepatobiliary, gastro, urology and dept of surgery, preadmission clinics, vascular unit, ENT unit.

Musculoskeletal Team:

• Ortho inpatients - inpatients and plastics

• Ortho outpatients - outpatients, hydro, back class, knee class, and hand therapy

• Ortho mix – hand therapy, outpatients, plastics, inpatients

Neurology:

• Neurosciences – neurosurgery including craniotomies, laminectomies and trauma patients.

• Neuro rehab - inpatients and same day rehabilitation

• Neuro mix - ½ acute stroke, ½ neuro rehabilitation and acute amputees

• Ortho rehab - inpatients and same day rehabilitation patients, hydrotherapy, exercise classes

St. George’s campus in Kew:

• St. George’s G - GEM

• St. George’s R - Rehabilitation

Continuing education

The Physiotherapy Department conducts fortnightly in-service education programs in addition to each team having weekly in-services covering a range of topics. All physiotherapy staff are encouraged to attend relevant continuing education sessions, which are held both within, and external to, the hospital.

Research

The physiotherapy department actively supports physiotherapists engaged in research.

We have a research coordinator for the department who assists staff at various levels to apply for grants, design and complete projects. Generally, these projects involve participation of other staff within the department and provide an opportunity to develop research skills and an appreciation of the importance of evidence-based practice.

The Physiotherapy Department actively encourages and supports appropriate research activity by its members including completion of postgraduate study at a masters and PhD level.

Quality improvement

The Physiotherapy Department is subdivided into three streams to allow for a focus on outcome measures within the specialised areas of physiotherapy practice. This allows for quality improvement activities to focus on specific clinical areas of physiotherapy.

Quality improvement is a key concept incorporated into all aspects of work at St. Vincent's Health. The Physiotherapy Department actively participates in Quality Improvement Activities and conducts regular reviews of these activities.

Information Technology

St. Vincent's Health has a significant information technology infrastructure. The system uses a Windows 2000 platform which staff are trained in so that they have operational capabilities in Windows Office applications.

Each staff member has an email account, and given the size of St. Vincent's Health, there is a current trend that relies on this form of communication.

Computer skills will be a key selection criteria for staff recruited for physiotherapy service provision.

In addition, staff have access to ongoing training to allow them to develop in areas of information technology that may interest them and be of use in their daily work, such as more advanced skills in PowerPoint and Excel. The information technology infrastructure supports all finance, billing and statistical reporting used in quality improvement activities.

Community Rehabilitation Centres

There are three centres associated with St.Vincent’s Health:

• Boroondara Community Rehabilitation Centre

• Cambridge Community Rehabilitation Centre, and

• Darebin Community Rehabilitation Centre

Boroondara CRC provides a service to the suburbs:

• Hawthorn

• Kew

• East Kew

• Camberwell

• Canterbury

• Glen Iris

• Ashburton

• Balwyn

• North Balwyn

• Surrey Hills

Cambridge CRC provides a service to the suburbs:

• Richmond

• Collingwood

• Kew

• East Kew

• Hawthorn

• Fitzroy

• North Fitzroy

• Abbotsford

• North Carlton

• Clifton Hill

Darebin CRC serves the suburbs:

• Alphington

• Fairfield

• Northcote

• Thornbury

People of all ages can be referred to the CRC’s. Preferred methods of referral are via the general practitioner or allied health professional while people can certainly self refer. All CRC’s are well equipped to provide the required therapy or run specific programs. Some of the programs available are:

• Exercise for Osteoporosis

• Tai Chi for Arthritis

• Balance and Coordination

• Pulmonary rehabilitation

• Functional Maintenance Program

As well as tailored programs suited to the individual as determined by the physiotherapist.

Hours of Operation

St.Vincent’s Hospital

8:00am – 12:30 & 1:30 - 5:00pm 

St. George’s Hospital                   

8:30am - 12:30 & 1:00 - 5:00pm 

Community Rehab Centres                  

See Below

Site Specific information

Physiotherapy at St. Vincent’s Hospital

Location

Bolte Wing, St. Vincent’s Hospital, Enter via Nicholson Street
Telephone 9288 3813 (Ask for Bolte Reception)

• Pool Facilities utilised by in, out patients and community groups

• Large well equipped gymnasium and outpatient area

• Separate gym area used by both Rehab and Gem unit staff

• Paid Car Parking both on site and close to St.Vincent’s Hospital

• Transport by train to Parliament Station

The Scope of Physiotherapy at St. Vincent's Hospital

• Musculoskeletal/Orthopaedic conditions

• Amputee management

• Acute cardiorespiratory, cardiac & pulmonary rehabilitation services

• Neurological &/or movement dysfunction

• Chronic Pain

• Feldenkrais - Awareness through Movement

• Hydrotherapy

Physiotherapy at St. George’s Hospital

Location

Ground Floor St.George’s Hospital 283 Cotham Road, Kew 3101

Phone  9272 0444

Fax     9817 5325            

• Well-equipped Gymnasium

• Free On Site Car Parking

• 109 Tram runs along Cotham Road

The Scope of Physiotherapy at St. George's Hospital

• Musculoskeletal/Orthopaedic conditions

• Neurological &/or movement dysfunction

• Aged Care & General Debility

Boroondara Community Rehabilitation Centre

Location

51 St. John’s Avenue, Camberwell 3124

Phone  9882 8239

Fax      9813 3172

The Scope of Physiotherapy at Boroondara CRC

• Musculoskeletal/Orthopaedic conditions
  Neurological &/or movement dysfunction

• Tai Chi for Arthritis

• Functional Maintenance Program
  

This service operates Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm

Cambridge Community Rehabilitation Centre

Location

283 Church Street, Richmond 3121

Phone  9427 0734

Fax     9427 0291

The Scope of Physiotherapy at Cambridge CRC

• Musculoskeletal/Orthopaedic conditions
  Neurological &/or movement dysfunction

• Tai Chi for Arthritis

• Pulmonary Rehabilitation

This service is open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm

Darebin Community Rehabilitation Centre

Location

92 Dennis Street, Northcote 3070

Phone  9486 7413

Fax     9486 7415

The Scope of Physiotherapy at Darebin CRC

• Musculoskeletal/Orthopaedic conditions
  Neurological &/or movement dysfunction

• Pulmonary Rehabilitation

This is a part time service operating Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9:00am to 3:30pm

Services also provided to:

A Physiotherapy service is also provided to Normanby House, a psycho-geriatric inpatient assessment unit that is located on the St.George’s Hospital site as well as to associated residential facilities.

Ambulatory Clinics

Located at St.George’s Hospital there is four clinics run on a weekly basis. They are:

• Continence Clinic

• Falls and Balance Clinic

• Cognitive, Dementia and Memory Clinic

• General Medical Clinic

Physiotherapists staff both the Continence and the Falls and Balance Clinic. The continence clinic is both an assessment and treatment service while the falls and balance clinic is an assessment service. Any ongoing rehabilitation that is required as a result of the assessment from the falls and balance clinic is generally carried out at one of the Community Rehabilitation Centres. Referral to any of the ambulatory clinics is generally via the general practitioner.