Country Health Connect - Yorke and Northern LHN Community Health Services

Yorke and Northern Region Community Health Services provides quality, community-based health services across the Yorke Peninsula and surrounding districts of South Australia.

The referral or contact details for all Community Health Services (unless otherwise noted) are:

  • If you are in the Yorke or Lower North, call the Country Referral Unit on 1800 944 912
  • If you are in the Mid North or Port Pirie, call GP Plus Port Pirie (08) 8638 1100.

Aboriginal health

Health clinics, health checks

  • immunisations
  • nursing

Health workers, provide:

  • information regarding treatment processes.
  • transport
  • advocacy and support
  • emotional, social and cultural support
  • culturally tailored health promotion

Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACAT)

Comprehensive Assessment

Health professionals assess the physical, psychological, cognitive, medical, restorative, cultural and social needs of frail older people and help them and their carers to access appropriate levels of support to determine the best care options available either at home or in a residential aged care home

Contact details: My Aged Care 1800 200 422

Breast Care (McGrath Breast Care Nurse)

Breast Cancer Care

McGrath Breast Care Nurses are registered nurses with specialist training in breast cancer care. Providing support, information and care from the time of diagnosis. A McGrath Breast Care Nurse can be with you throughout your experience with breast cancer, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery; rehabilitation, counselling and follow up services.

Carer support

Flexible respite services

  • If you are an older person who requires support, you may be eligible for community respite.
  • Your eligibility will be assessed during your face-to-face assessment organised through a My Aged Care Regional Assessment Service (RAS). Or you can check your eligibility online:

Contact details: For support for people aged over 65 years, call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422. Support for all others (under 65years) carergateway.gov.au or call 1800 422 737

Cardiac, respiratory health and wellbeing

Cardiac and respiratory groups

  • Group programs ran from Port Pirie, Wallaroo and Maitland, one to support to manage their respiratory or cardiac condition is also available across the Yorke and Northern LHN.   
  • A Health and Wellbeing Advisor is one to one support for people living with a chronic condition in the Mid North and Port Pirie

Community nursing

Nurse support

  • assessment
  • wound care/dressings,
  • post-acute care (support following discharge from hospital care)
  • school based immunisation
  • hospital in the home – Port Pirie
  • Palliative Care support

Continence nurse support

Continence advice and support

  • continence assessment
  • product guidance and support
  • Continence Aids Payment Scheme assessment
  • information and education

Group therapy

Strength for Live Exercise Group

The COTA SA Strength for Life program offers over-50s an opportunity to participate in supervised, low cost strength training programs at typical fitness venues.

Strength training has been shown to improve muscular strength, mobility and balance in people of all ages and can alleviate the effects of some chronic conditions such as Arthritis and Type 2 Diabetes.

Strength and Balance (Moovers and Groovers group)

Movers and Groovers is a chair-based exercise program run during school terms for people over 65 aiming to reduce falls, improve physical activity and emotional wellbeing.  This strength and balance class is successfully run by Allied Health Assistants.

Diabetes education

The Yorke and Northern Diabetes Service provides education and support to:

  • people with newly diagnosed diabetes
  • people who have been diagnosed for some time and require an update due to;
  • changes in therapy
  • diagnosis of a complication or a co-morbidity
  • risk of hypo and hyperglycaemia
  • women with gestational diabetes or women with diabetes who are considering pregnancy or who are pregnant
  • children and adolescents with diabetes
  • carers of people with diabetes including children’s services
  • people using insulin pump therapy
  • registration to National Diabetes Service Scheme.

Our specific services offered include:

  •  individualised advice for administration of injectables
  •  individualised action plans for hypo and hyperglycaemia
  •  blood glucose monitoring support service
  •  support continuous glucose monitoring systems
  •  support continuous subcutaneous insulin infusions (insulin pump therapy)

Groups

The Type 2 Diabetes self-care program is provided for people newly diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes or with pre-existing Type 2 Diabetes.

The program is presented by a Diabetes Educator and/or Dietitian with sessions run at Port Pirie, Clare and Balaklava Health Services

The program covers the following information:

  • What is diabetes and living with diabetes
  • Managing Diabetes; nutrition, physical activity, medications

Contact Port Pirie GP Plus for bookings to the sessions at Port Pirie on: (08) 8638 1100 and Clare Health service on: (08) 8842 6560 for bookings to the Clare/Balaklava sessions.

Dietetics / nutrition support

Dietitians understand how your body works and how food and drinks help nourish both healthy individuals and those with medical conditions that are affected by or treated with nutrition. We especially see people with:

  • unintentional weight loss
  • enteral nutrition (PEG or nasogastric feeds)
  • allergies and intolerances
  • diabetes
  • kidney conditions
  • liver disease
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
  • diabetes

NDIS provider for adult and children

Services for Adults and Children vary across the LHN, contact Country Referral Unit on: 1800 944 912 for initial referral if you live in the Yorke or Lower North or GP Plus Port Pirie. If you live in the Mid North phone: (08) 8638 1100.

Lifestyle options – Breakaways; an Arts Based Group for young Adults with a Disability

Child Health And Development Team (CHAD)

The team consists of Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Social Workers, Dieticians and Podiatrists who provide services targeting;

  • communication, speech and language
  • fine and gross motor skills
  • social, play and sensory regulation
  • self-care
  • nutrition, paediatric feeding and mealtime support
  • NDIS services provided in line with plan goals

Environmental Health Centre

The Environmental Health Centre (EHC) is a free community service which can help you understand the issues around environmental lead and offers education and services to monitor and assist in keeping blood lead levels as low as possible.

Location/Contact details:

Call the Port Pirie Environmental Health Centre on (08) 8638 4100.

Home based services

Home based services provided through the following:

  • Commonwealth Home Support Program
  • HACC now called Country Connections
  • Home Based Services can include:
    • domestic assistance
    • individual social support
    • accompanied or unaccompanied shopping
    • personal care

 Lymphoedema Service

Services are provided for primary and secondary lymphedema and include:

  • upper and lower limb lymphedema management
  • lymphedema associated with breast cancer
  • cellulitis management
  • other ongoing oedema management
  • compression garment prescriptions.

Location / contact details:

Lymphoedema Therapists appointments can be arranged at Port Pirie GP Plus, Laura, Booleroo and Orroroo Hospitals by contacting GP Plus Port Pirie on (08) 8638 1100.


Mental health services

Community Mental Health Teams

Community mental health teams provide recovery-focused mental health services to individuals aged 16 and above living in rural and remote areas of South Australia, they can support you with:

  • care coordination
  • crisis intervention
  • individual and group therapeutic intervention
  • psychiatry review

For more information please visit the Regional Mental Health Services Page

Occupational therapy

Occupational Therapists

OT’s or Occupational Therapists can assist with everyday access and support activities, including

  • self care
  • household duties
  • community involvement
  • work/study and leisure/recreational pursuits, this can include
    • home modifications and the supply of equipment to help maintain independence
    • support following discharge from hospital care.

Home Care Package provider

Home Care Package (HCP)

HCP’s are one of the ways that older Australians can access affordable care services to get some help at home. They are designed for those with more complex care needs that go beyond what the Commonwealth Home Support Programme can provide. Eligibility is based on your care needs as determined by assessment.

You can check your eligibility and apply for assessment online or call My Aged Care about your potential eligibility on 1800 200 422

Depending on the level of Home Care Package you receive, you can get assistance with services such as;

  • personal care – showering, self care, hygiene and grooming
  • nursing, wound management
  • allied health and therapy – Podiatry, physiotherapy and occupational therapy.
  • meal preparation and diet
  • domestic assistance – basic chores
  • home maintenance, home modifications – improve safety, ramps and rails
  • equipment and assistive technology – walking frame, shower chair etc.
  • transport to GP
  • social support

If you think you only need only one or two services – you may not need a Home Care Package. You may be more suited for help at home through the Commonwealth Home Support Programme.

Palliative care 

Palliative care / End of life support

End of life choices to support community based care of people at end of life, their caregivers and their families.

End of life packages are support for clients who have specialist palliative care needs. They do not replace existing care packages or programs, such as Home Care Packages, NDIS packaged care. Instead they support palliative care specialists to address client and family care needs when these existing services are at their limit or exhausted. They are used in home settings by Specialist Palliative Care nurses who coordinate and arrange support to clients and families to remain in their chosen environment or home. Criteria includes:

  • Terminal Phase Care - for use in the last week of life
  • Stabilisation Care - used as a short–term strategy in response to a rapid escalation of an existing or new symptom
  • Respite Care - for short periods of both planned and unplanned caregiver respite
  • Complex Continuing Care - for the continuing care of a person at end of life at home who would otherwise require admitted care in a hospice or hospital.

Physiotherapy 

Physiotherapists assist patients with conditions relating to physical mobility and function, respiratory care and support and preparation for hospital discharge/ post-acute services.

  • orthopaedic surgery or trauma
  • other major surgery or amputation
  • cerebrovascular accident (CVA)
  • spinal cord or brain injury
  • burns
  • fractures
  • recent significant worsening of mobility, history of falls, physical deconditioning
  • other chronic illness and acute muscular skeletal problems.
  • Chronic pain
  • Hydrotherapy – Jamestown only
  • Strength and balance classes

Activity groups 

Community activity groups

These groups are targeted for Older People or people with a Disability feeling isolated or as respite to connect with others in their community

Groups meet at the following health sites: Peterborough, Booleroo, Port Pirie, Crystal Brook, Port Broughton,

For a Referral call My Aged Care about your potential eligibility on 1800 200 422

Podiatry  

A Podiatrist can assist with lower leg and foot conditions, including:

  • wound care
  • high risk foot care, including Charcot Foot
  • ingrown toenails
  • presentations that limit function

Where appropriate services may also be provided by Allied Health Assistants.

Short Term Restorative Care  

Short Term Restorative Care (STRC) is an eight-week support service providing a range of services,

Short Term Restorative Care can be delivered in the community (home setting) or in a residential facility, the aim of the program is to:

  • support you to regain their ability to carry out activities of daily life
  • help you to manage new or changing health conditions
  • provide assistance so you can live as independently as possible.

An aged care assessment with an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) is required. If assessed as eligible for the programme, eligibility remains valid for 6 months. Short Term Restorative Care is not available to individuals who:

  • are already receiving a home care package
  • are living in an aged care home
  • have received after hospital care through the Transition Care Programme in the past 6 months

Social work  

A Social Worker can assist by providing:

  • holistic assessment
  • support and crisis intervention for patients and their carer/family
  • counselling and therapeutic support including trauma, grief and loss counselling
  • complex discharge planning – family meetings, advocacy, risk assessment, and assistance with social-legal and ethical matters.

Speech pathology  

Speech Pathologists provide services to adults and children with communication and swallowing difficulties.  Communication difficulties include speech, language, voice, fluency and use of alternative and augmentative communication (AAC).  Services may be delivered in our therapy centres in Port Pirie, Kadina, Wallaroo and Clare as well as surrounding towns - in client’s homes, hospitals, aged care facilities, childcare centres, preschool and schools.

We support adults with communication and swallowing difficulties, which may be affected by medical conditions such as stroke, head injury, degenerative diseases, cancer or the ageing process. We are also registered providers of services to adult NDIS participants.

We see children from birth to eight years of age in line with the Rural Local Health Networks CHAD (Child health and Development) Model of Care.  We negotiate services for children 3-5 years of age with the Department of Education (DoE) service in line with the Single Speech Pathology service agreement.  Our team utilises client and family-centred care to support children to achieve their goals, with a focus on relationships and a strength -based approach. We are also registered providers of services to paediatric NDIS participants

Stomal Therapy Nurse  

Stoma Therapy Nurses provide clinics and support to stoma clients living in the YNLHN, they can assist with:

  • assessment / support/ management of stoma site.
  • information and education on resources available

Contact details: GP Plus Port Pirie  (08) 8638 1100.

Transitional Care Package   

The Transition Care Programme supports older people who would otherwise be eligible for residential care. To enter Transition Care, clients must be assessed as eligible by an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) while they are an inpatient of a hospital. Clients can only enter Transition Care directly after discharge from hospital.

Transition Care is provided for a maximum of 12 weeks with a possible extension of another 6 weeks either in a more home-like residential setting or in the community. It is a goal orientated time limited restorative program designed for an older person at the conclusion of an acute hospital episode to complete the restorative process and to optimise functional capacity. Program can be in either a Residential site such as a regional hospital or within the home environment or a combination of the two. Depending on the assessed level of need, transition care can offer eligible older people:

  • nursing support or personal care
  • low intensity therapy (such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy) and support (such as social work) to maintain physical, cognitive and psychosocial functioning and to facilitate improved capacity in activities of daily living
  • medical support such as GP oversight
  • case management, including establishing community supports and services and where required, identification of residential care options

Volunteer program

Our volunteers contribute to a variety of programs across the YNLHN including:

  • aged care activities (individual & groups)
  • maintenance / grounds / equipment
  • transport client driver
  • administration support
  • patient support
  • kiosk assistance
  • visiting / social support in hospital
  • Men’s Sheds

Contact details: If you would like to volunteer for the YNLHN please contact the Volunteer Program Coordinator on (08) 8638 1100.