The Child Health Integrated Care (CHIC) project includes two key parallel interventions:
- Central referral and assessment point
- Enhancement of GP service capabilities in developmental and behavioural paediatrics
A single, central access point will be developed for all referrals for paediatric services for children with learning, developmental and behavioural issues on the Sunshine Coast. This access point will manage referrals for both Child Development Services and the Advanced Allied Health Practitioner pathway that exists through paediatric outpatients. The goal is little to no wait time through a single entry point, and enhancement of community resources.
The second parallel arm of the innovation is to engage interested GPs in gaining postgraduate qualifications in the form of a Graduate Diploma in Child Health through the School of Medicine, University of Sydney. They will then be identified as GPSI (child): that is, General Practitioners with a Special Interest in paediatrics and child health. The Practice Nurse working within the GPSI (child) practice will also be supported to enrol and complete postgraduate qualifications in Nursing with a focus on child health through the University of the Sunshine Coast. . This initiative will enhance the skills and knowledge of the local GP sector independently of the GPSI initiative.
This project was funded by the Integrated Care Innovation Fund.
