SHARON  STRUGNELL    CEO            BRAINLINK  SERVICES  LTD    VICTORIA  

   DEBORAH  BYRNE      EO            BRAIN  INJURY  ASSOCIATION  OF  TASMANIA  

BRIDGING  THE  GAP  

• Acquired Brain Disorder ( ABD ) Community Liaison in 3 major hospitals across Victoria and Tasmania

• Supporting families from patient diagnosis/ treatment in hospital through to post hospital discharge and into community care

• Pilot started in 2012 at the Royal Melbourne Hospital

1 hour in the hospital is like a full day in any other place!

The  BrainLink  Experience  

Like riding a rollercoaster

Don’t know what’s happening here

When a family member is admitted it is very stressful for loved ones

“It took me 6 months after discharge to find a community connection”

For  the  carer  • Personal and single point of contact

• Some level of comfort during the hospital stay

• Improved health and wellbeing

For  the  hospital  • Reduced time required from hospital staff

• Reduced stress and improved staff satisfaction • Minimisation of discharge delay

• Patient satisfaction increased

THE  BRAINLINK  EXPERIENCE  

Regards  MW,  wife  of  ABD  pa4ent  

“The  BrainLink  program  at  the  neurosurgery  ward  is  just  so  worthwhile  and  the  informa4on  package  I  received  was  read  over  and  over  and  the  pamphlet  regarding  changed  lives  was  very  useful  to  me.  

I  s4ll  read  it  now  and  even  though  it  is  very  hard  to  take  in  so  much  informa4on  when  you  are  in  grief,  the  informa4on  was  very  useful  for  me  because  there  were  4mes  when  you  couldn't  talk  face  to  face,  but  reading  it  helped  and  the  gentle  approach  was  just  what  I  needed    

If  it  wasn't  for  the  CLO,  I  am  not  sure  where  I  would  be  today  as  she  came  from  Melbourne  to  Bendigo  to  help  me  in  my  4me  of  need.  As  a  regional  city,  Bendigo  has  the  Anne  Caudle  Rehab,  but  it  does  not  promote  or  talk  about  the  impact  brain  injury  has  on  –  and  especially  in  my  case  –  people  with  stroke.”  

Outcomes  • CLO improved the health and wellbeing of both the person with the ABI/ABD and their carers and families

• Benefits were immediate and positive

• Program provides practical and specialised advice, support and care

Outcomes  • Enabled BrainLink to assist more families

• Facilitation of smooth transition into the community

• Contribution not financially quantified but evident in reducing the reliance on community resources

The  BrainLink  experience…..  The  Future  

A seamless and positive impact on t h e o v e r a l l treatment of the patient and their family.

Development of a c lose r and more integrated working relationship between t h e c o m m u n i t y sector and the acute hospital sector.

Importantly it was so successful that the mode l has been replicated in t h r e e o t h e r hospitals to date, one of which is in Tasmania.

•  Brain  Injury  AssociaKon  of  Tasmania  

•  Brain  injury  in  Tasmania  

•  RaKonale  •  The  Project  •  The  PosiKon  –  clinical  vs  non  clinical  •  Brief  ‘case  study’  overview  

The  Tasmanian  Context  

BRAIN  INJURY  SERVICES  IN  TASMANIA  

Postcode  

LoSery    

RaKonale  

…between  the  acute  (hospital)  sector  to  the  highly  complicated  community  care  sector.  

InnovaKve  and  proacKve….  

Gap  in  Service…  

Awareness  of  Supports…  

Caregiver  Burden…  

…people  may  need  or  services  available.  

…physical  and  emoKonal.  

…idenKfy  and  resolve  issues  which  impact  on  the  community.  

Time  limited   Approach   Partnerships   Specific   Supported  

12  months  –  funded  by  Tasmanian  Community  Fund  

Ensures  families  are  provided  with  informaKon  and  referrals  specific  to  their  condiKon  and  region  

Carers  are  supported  with  pracKcal  knowledge  on  how  to  be  carers,  how  to  maintain  their  own  well-­‐being  and  with  informaKon  on  where  to  seek  ongoing  support  as  new  issues  arise.  

Tasmanian  Project  Overview  

Community  development  -­‐  stresses  early  and  Kmely  intervenKon  

•  BrainLink  

•  Royal  Hobart  Hospital  

•  Community  RehabilitaKon  Unit  

•  Carers  Tas  

•  Rehab  Specialist  

•  Community  organisaKons  

The  Position  

Clinical  vs  

Non  Clinical    

Non  Clinical  Would  need  extensive  orienta:on  to  the  area  

Clinical  Background  Orienta:on  to  BIAT  and  role  only  

Time  Limite

d  Po

si:o

n  

OrientaKon  

Non  Clinical  Would  need  orienta:on  by  hospital  staff  

Clinical  Background  No  orienta:on  needed  except  for  minor  updates  eg  new  fire  ex:nguishers  

Busy  and

 Stressful  

Hospital  Environment  

Non  Clinical  May  take  :me  to  be  familiar  with  processes  and  terminology  

Clinical  Background  Understanding  of  issues  and  able  to  readily  iden:fy  families  who  need  assistance  

Complex  

Clinical  Environment  

Non  Clinical  Would  take  :me  to  earn  the  trust  of  staff  

Clinical  Background  Clinician  from  a  neuro  background  who  was  trusted  by  team  

Trust  

Clinical  Staff  

Clinical  Background  Despite  the  clinical  experience  of  the  Community  Liaison  Officer,  they  understand  the  boundaries  of  the  role  and  don’t  encroach  on  them  

LimitaK

ons  

Asked  to  sit  with  family  when  paKent  received  a  difficult  diagnosis  

Families  oaen  need  clarificaKon  on  clinical  informaKon  

‘Case  Study’  Overview  

Pre-­‐op  Worked  with  single  mum  of  3  children  

Post  discharge  Supported  husband  with  informaKon  following  wife’s  discharge  

Key to success…  

Partnerships

Hospital/ Key person Support

Right person for the position

Resourcing

1 2 3 4

The  anima:on    automa:cally  begins.  

Next  Steps  

Where  to..  

..from  here