People with a complex developmental disability will receive greater support for their overall health at Westmead Hospital, following a successful trial of a new clinic that provides free and comprehensive health checks.
Minister for Health Ryan Park said the new clinic has been granted $50,000 a year by Western Sydney Local Health District to continue to provide access to up to nine different specialty health checks for patients.
"This important clinic provides health checks such as blood work, dental checks, scans, eye tests, ear checks and urine and bowel assessments, Mr Park said.
"All treatments are specifically tailored to the needs of people with a complex developmental disability, ensuring patients can receive their checks as comfortably as possible."
Established in 2020, the "one-stop shop" clinic was set up in response to the rising number of people with a disability presenting to WSLHD emergency departments with preventable conditions.
The clinic is currently supporting patients with developmental intellectual and physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy.
"This one-stop shop model is hugely beneficial to patient care, making access to health care easier for those with a physical or mental disability," Mr Park said.
"I'm pleased that our hospitals can provide a practical and tailored way to support people with a disability."
"I congratulate Western Sydney Local Health District for leading the way with this important initiative."
"Making basic health services more accessible to people with disability is a life-saving initiative," said Minister for Disability Inclusion Kate Washington.
"We are backing the 'one-stop shop' into the future because it works - ensuring better health and wellbeing of people with complex disabilities."
"It's welcome news that members of our community with complex developmental disability will have ongoing access to a convenient and targeted "one-stop-shop" for vital health checks," said Donna Davis, Member for Parramatta.
"Prevention is better than cure so investment in easily accessible health checks for people with complex needs is a practical and common sense approach."
The clinic is currently supporting patients being cared for in the District's Developmental Disability Service and is accessed via internal referrals from Westmead's outpatient clinics.
