Rehabilitation Medicine

Located at Sacred Heart Health Service, St Vincent's Rehabilitation Services provide complete patient rehabilitation following an illness, injury or surgery with the aim of helping patients and their carers achieve their maximum potential through a multi-disciplinary therapy approach. Rehabilitation Physicians specialise in the management and treatment of new and chronic disability and assist people living with disability in the community, in NDIS accommodation and in the Aged Care sector.

Inpatient Rehabilitation

The unit provides a rehabilitation service across seven days and was the first public rehabilitation service in New South Wales to offer services on the weekend. It is the only Rehabilitation unit in NSW to offer inpatient rehabilitation for those with cardiac and pulmonary transplants. It has a reputation for treating a diverse and complex range of patients from our community. We care for patients of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

A multidisciplinary team of medical, nursing, social work, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech pathology, pharmacy, pastoral care, dietetics, clinical psychology, neuro-psychology and administration staff work together to ensure the best outcome for patients. We also work collaboratively with our colleagues from other medical and surgical speciality teams.

Patients are transferred from St Vincent’s Hospital, St Vincent’s Private Hospital, Sydney Hospital, other hospitals and the community for rehabilitation of a wide range of conditions including but not limited to:

• Stroke
• Polytrauma
• Neuromuscular disease such as multiple sclerosis
• Orthopaedic surgery
• Organ transplantation
• Deconditioning following illness or surgery
• Cancer rehabilitation

There is also a dedicated aged care stream of inpatient rehabilitation which is a shared care model between geriatric and rehabilitation medicine specialists.

How to refer: for inpatient referrals please email to shrehab@svha.org.au and speak to the Consults registrar or consultant for the day via switchboard 02 8382 1111
 

Mobile Rehabilitation Team (MRT)

This team provides a multidisciplinary rehabilitation service to the patient in the acute wards of St Vincent’s Hospital to assist in early commencement of rehabilitation.  The MRT works in collaboration with the acute care team to facilitate early intervention which has been shown to promote positive patient outcomes. It was the first mobile rehab team to be established in Australia in 2009.

Inpatient Consultation Service

The Rehabilitation Consultation Service provides specialist assessments for patients in the acute wards of St Vincent’s Hospital. Rehabilitation physicians and registrars review patients to determine whether rehabilitation interventions are needed. The team works closely with the Mobile Rehabilitation Team (MRT), the inpatient rehabilitation unit, and other rehabilitation facilities to ensure timely and coordinated transitions of care. The service also offers clinical advice and guidance to acute care teams to support optimal patient outcomes.

Outpatient Rehabilitation Services

Outpatient rehabilitation services comprise several clinics as well as the Sacred Heart Ambulatory Rehabilitation Program (SHARP). SHARP provides a comprehensive multidisciplinary rehabilitation service to adults of all ages with complex conditions including concussion, stroke, neurological and progressive conditions, amputees, trauma and reconditioning following transplantation, surgery, cancer therapy and medical illness. The majority of patients attend therapy sessions on-site at the hospital. The team consists of rehabilitation physicians, clinical psychologist, neuropsychologist, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech pathology. There are also clinics for amputees and prosthetic users as well as the Spasticity management service. Two rehabilitation physicians are dual trained in Pain medicine and see outpatients through the multidisciplinary St Vincent’s Hospital Pain Clinic.

All referrals should come from a medical practitioner (GP or specialist) and can be sent to shrehab@svha.org.au. The contact number for the outpatient service is 02 8382 5250

Spasticity Management Service

Our service provides care for people with muscle stiffness or spasms (spasticity) caused by neurological conditions such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, brain or spinal cord injury. We offer specialist assessment and treatment at the Sacred Heart Health Service, led by rehabilitation medicine specialists experienced in managing spasticity.

Treatments may include:

• Botulinum toxin injections to relax tight muscles and make daily activities easier based around goals
• Obturator nerve block for hip adductor (inner thigh) muscle spasticity
• Advice on stretching, splints, and exercise to optimise function and prevent complications

How to access: Patients living within the St Vincent’s Hospital catchment area can be referred by their GP, specialist, or rehabilitation team via email to shrehab@svha.org.au and phone 02 8382 5250 for any other queries

Prosthetics & Amputee Clinic

The Sacred Heart Prosthetics Clinic operates once a month, providing comprehensive assessment, fitting, and review services for individuals requiring prosthetic care for lower limb amputations. The clinic works together in a multidisciplinary team setting, bringing together expert prosthetists, a rehabilitation physician, physiotherapist and podiatrist to deliver patient-centred, high-quality prosthetic management in a supportive setting. Pre-amputation counselling and planning is also offered for both inpatients and outpatients.

Griffith Outreach Service

A weekly face-to-face service is provided by a rehabilitation physician to Griffith Base Hospital in the Murrumbidgee Local Health District. This provides access to specialist rehabilitation consultation, multidisciplinary team meetings and an outpatient clinic. This integrated approach ensures patients have access to and receive collaborative care close to home, supported by management between clinicians, therapists and outreach services.