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Managing deteriorating health - resource

Illustration of a woman looking unwell, and support worker leaning in to check

21st February 2022

Our latest resource, managing Deteriorating Health, is for disability support workers and include:

  • a poster – managing Deteriorating Health available in PDF, designed to be easy-to-print on A4 or A3 sized paper and available as an online accessible version
  • and a supporting document – used to aid team discussions around the awareness and understanding of deteriorating health, also available as a PDF and as an online accessible version.

These resources focus on:

  • raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of deteriorating health and
  • providing information about what action a support worker should take once any signs or symptoms have been identified.

Why has this resource been created?

Managing deteriorating health was one of four key issues of concern (see full list below) identified as part of investigations completed in 2020-2021 by the DSC into disability service provision to people in receipt of accommodation support prior to their deaths.  In creating resources such as the managing Deteriorating Health poster and others like the Safe Mealtimes poster, the DSC hopes to promote safe support practices and continuous improvement in the quality of services.

These resources are based on information from the Residential Services Practice Manual, and were developed in collaboration with the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) who also consulted with the five service providers who were funded by DFFH until they transitioned to the NDIS in 2021.

The issues of concern from finalised 2020-2021 investigations were:

  1. service quality – communication supports, mealtime supports, bowel management, behaviour supports
  2. managing specific conditions – health plans, illness prevention and monitoring
  3. managing deteriorating health
  4. record keeping.

ref: DSC 2021 Annual Report, p22

We encourage you to promote these resources to your staff and share with your networks.

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Melbourne, Victoria, 3000 Australia

Call for enquiries or complaints - 1800 677 342

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