Health care is a partnership and during your stay in Holy Spirit Northside (HSN) Private Hospital you will receive the very best of care and attention from a range of medical health care specialists. This quality care begins at the very top - from your surgeon and those assisting, your consultant doctor and nursing staff, through to several other professionals, skilled in a range of clinical disciplines. Depending on your medical condition and any special needs, an inpatient may be referred by his/her doctor to receive treatment for a condition that may include any of the following specialty health care areas:

• Dietetics and Nutrition Services
• Occupational Therapy
• Physiotherapy
• Podiatry
• Speech Pathology.

HSN’s Allied Health professionals are health care practitioners appropriately qualified and clinically trained who, in partnership, collaborate with medical and nursing staff, and other health care team members to deliver high quality inpatient care services. HSN maintains affiliations with several accredited providers and will tap into those services on a needs basis. All therapists undergo accreditation and are registered in Queensland with the relevant Health Practitioner Board.

Occupational Therapy

Christine Hindmarsh AccOT, Principal Occupational Therapist, Results Rehab Group Pty Ltd, and her team of therapists provide quality occupational therapy services to HSN’s inpatients. All therapists are skilled in rehabilitation, aged care and palliative care. They assess and treat difficulties with occupational performance resulting from illness or injury and aim to assist individuals to build skills for participating effectively in everyday self care. Hospital-based occupational therapy includes assessment and treatment while an inpatient and follow-up once a patient returns home.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy Services at Holy Spirit Northside (HSN) Private Hospital are shared between two very competent specialist practitioner groups. These are Stephen Boyd Physiotherapy who provides services for inpatients in Ground Floor North (GFN) and South (GFS), and First Floor North (FFN); and Susan Dark Pty Limited provides Physiotherapy Services to inpatients in Intensive Care (ICU), Second Floor and First Floor South (FFS).

Stephen Boyd Physiotherapy. As an inpatient, if you require physiotherapy as part of your recovery, hospital medical staff will alert our physiotherapy team. Once the referral for physiotherapy has been made, a physiotherapist will attend and assess you, explain what s/he hopes to achieve within the treatment and outline the possible frequency of treatment you may require during your stay. For patients who have had surgery, physiotherapy may be required daily.

Physiotherapy may involve some of the following:

• Breathing exercises
• Limb exercises
• Muscle pain
• Mobilisation
• Walking aid assessment
• Education about post-operative recovery.

Depending on your medical insurance type, there may be some out-of-pocket expense involved with having physiotherapy whilst a hospital patient. It is best to discuss this with your treating therapist. If out-of-pocket expenses are expected, the physiotherapist will ask you to sign a consent form and an account will be mailed to you following hospital discharge.

If you have any questions regarding your physiotherapy needs before, during or after your stay at Holy Spirit Northside, please don’t hesitate to ask one of our therapists or contact our main office.

Susan Dark Pty Limited has been privileged to be part of the Allied Health Team since HSN’s inception in 2001. This group’s referral base has seen its expertise concentrate in providing physiotherapy care for the following specialties:

• Cardiothoracic surgery
• Vascular surgery
• Hepatobiliary/Colorectal surgery
• Respiratory management
• Intensive Care.

This practice also has a sound knowledge of physiotherapy care for both Orthopaedic and Neurosurgical patients and aspires to providing a skilled, professional, comprehensive physiotherapy service with integrity, respect and understanding. This is achieved through providing secure, well trained, highly experienced staff primarily motivated by patient outcomes. Inherent to this are the values of compassion, dignity, justice and unity which are shared by both hospital and this practice.

Speech Pathology

Speech pathologists are an important part of the team of Allied Health professionals at Holy Spirit Northside (HSN) Private Hospital and are often called in to see patients on their doctors’ request. Speech pathologists have two prime functions in an acute hospital setting like HSN: patients are referred for assessment of and, if necessary, therapy for swallowing disorders. Speech pathologists assess, diagnose and treat problems with chewing and swallowing. Swallowing problems are common in patients who have had a stroke, undergone major surgery or have respiratory problems. Speech pathologists also work with patients in the intensive care unit to ensure a safe return to normal eating and drinking.

Speech pathologists are concerned with communication and patients are referred for assessment and treatment of their communication skills. Speech and language can be affected after a stroke or other neurological problems, and the speech pathologist also looks after voice and speech problems after surgery.

Speech pathologists visit inpatients daily Monday to Friday if required and an on call service is available for urgent referrals on weekends and public holidays. Speech pathologists try to liaise with families as well as with nursing and medical staff to ensure safe swallowing and effective communication for all patients.