Department of Health

The second stage of the Improving Care for Older People (ICOP) program operated in Victoria from 2010 to 2013. Across Victoria, 35 public health services participated in the initiative, including all metropolitan health services. As part of the program, they were required to undertake initiatives to minimise the risk of functional decline in older patients and improve the provision of care in four areas:

  • Evidence-based environmental improvements
  • Organisation-wide policy development that provides a framework for improving care for older people across the organisation
  • Embedding the evidence base contained within The Toolkit to inform models of care to minimise functional decline for older people, with a focus on acute settings
  • Professional development activities to support workforce capacity building to better respond to the needs of older people in hospital settings

Outlined is a snapshot of the types of initiatives taken by health services relating to continence.

Health Service

Requirement Addressed and Project Summary

Echuca Regional Health

Models of Care - Multidisciplinary clinic for non-admitted patients; bladder scanner purchased

Goulburn Valley Health

Models of Care - Screening and assessment implemented in all acute and sub-acute settings (part of suite); development of model of care to support level 1-3 Sub-Acute Care Services

Professional Development - Support of Moira Health alliance and Seymour Health via training opportunities in continence

Portland District Health

Models of Care - Model of care based on toolkit domain introduced and embedded into sub-acute and acute wards

St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne

Policy Development - Continence Management Guidelines developed and launched in collaboration with regional continence clinic and the Department of Geriatric Medicine

Professional Development - Certificate II in Continence Promotion and Care, and Graduate Certificate in Continence developed

Reviewed 05 October 2015

Health.vic

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