Local residents will get a close-up look at Alice Springs Hospital's Rehabilitation Unit and the work of its Allied Health team this Thursday 10 September between 11.00 am and 2.00 pm.
This Thursday's third annual open day gives Allied Health practitioners the opportunity to showcase the vital services provided in a unit that was constructed in 1998 and has met the needs of many hundreds of Central Australian inpatients and outpatients ever since.
Manager of the Central Australian Rehabilitation Service at ASH, Sue Wallace said rehabilitation of Central Australian residents was becoming increasingly more localised with less people needing to be flown elsewhere in the NT or interstate for their services.
"We have around 60 inpatient clients through the unit each year. Around 50 per cent of patients are recovering from strokes, others include people with head injuries and amputations.
"Though some of the more serious spinal injuries and head injuries are still flown to Adelaide for treatment, an increasing number are able to stay in Alice Springs or come back earlier because we have both the facilities and the expertise right here in Central Australia.
"While the rehabilitation unit initially will take clients as inpatients, they often become outpatients and drop in regularly for their therapy, depending of course upon their condition and how far away they live from the unit," she said.
Alice Springs residents are invited to attend the open day where physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, Aboriginal health workers, dieticians, and other specialised Allied Health staff will be showcasing the work they do.
Media contacts: Cameron Jackson 0401 114 113
Release date: Monday 7 September 2009
