Auburn Hospital
Community Health Centre
| Telephone: | 9646 2233 |
| Facsimile | 9749 1749 |
| Main Entrance: | 9 Northumberland Road, Auburn NSW 2144 |
| Hours of Service: | Open Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm |
Auburn Community Health Service serves the geographic area defined by the boundaries of Auburn Municipality, incorporating the suburbs of Auburn, Lidcombe, Berala, Regents Park, Silverwater and Granville.
Community Health Services are organised as multidisciplinary teams, with staff from the professions of medicine, nursing, psychology, social work, occupational therapy, podiatry, psychiatry, health education, speech pathology and diversional therapy.
The Auburn Community Health Centre provides a range of health related services which are outlined in this page. The services are free to the general public. Initial or urgent contact can be made without appointment through the Intake Officer of the day; otherwise by appointment.
The service employs over 100 staff (full time and part time) to deliver programs in 14 service areas. Although the majority of programs are conducted from these facilities, the service has a high degree of mobility allowing for home visits, agency visits and the transporting of clients to centre based programs.
Community involvement is an important feature in the planning and development of Auburn Community Health Services.
Consumers are also directly involved in the planning and advising of service needs through:
- The Auburn District Community Health Advisory Council (ADCHAC).
- The Auburn Aged Day Care/Respite Management Committee.
- The Auburn Community Activities Centre Management Committee.
- Hevington House Carers Support Group.
These services are for the aged and disabled people, and those suffering dementia, and are designed to assist them to remain in their own homes, as opposed to hospital or nursing home.
The service offers a needles and syringe program, condoms, education, referral, AIDS/HIV/IDU and Hep C information, advice and training on safe sharps disposal for community members and organisations, such as Local Council.
Community nursing provides nursing services to individuals and their families in a social and environmental context. It includes the assessment of needs and the mobilisation of resources to address these needs. The focus may be the health problem of an individual, family or community group.
Community nursing can encompass both generalist community nursing and particular specialist strands, such as mental health, baby health, domiciliary nursing, palliative care etc.
The Counselling Team offer a range of services including family therapy, psychometric and developmental assessments of children where appropriate, adolescent counselling and individual counselling for adults on a broad range of psycho-social issues.
The Team also works closely with other relevant agencies, e.g. Department of Community Services, Schools, Barnado’s, other health services, to develop service networks to address issues such as domestic violence, child protection and women’s health services.
Early Childhood Health Centres are staffed by Baby Health Nurses or Generalist Nurses who monitor the health of children 0 - 5years of age, and provide advice and support to parents about the care of their child.
Early Childhood Centres may also provide child management education programs and mothers discussions groups.
Lactation/Breastfeeding Consultants are available at Auburn and Lidcombe Childhood Centres. The Service works closely with other relevant agencies including Nursing Mother’s Association, Parramatta Family Care Centre, Tresillian and Karitane Services.
The Health Promotion Officer is involved in addressing both local and area wide health promotion projects. In the Auburn LGA, assistance is provided with needs assessment, program planning, resource development, training and seminars. The unit works closely with the hospital and community health staff to support health promoting activities and conduct the Health Promoting Hospitals Project.
Community Mental Health Services provided include initial assessments of a person’s mental health, psychological functioning and social situation, together with ongoing management and treatment of a broad range of mental health problems.
Counselling, treatment and follow up of individuals and families, including adolescents, who may need intervention and assistance with management of serious psychiatric illnesses, emotional behaviour or social problems.
This Team consists of Ethnic Health Workers as well as an Arabic Counsellor.
Ethnic Health Workers provide services to improve access and to increase the health skills of non-English speaking groups with the community. Services provided include initial assessment, group work, health education, information days, New Settlers Program and community development in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner.
The Occupational Therapy Service is provided to inpatients and outpatients of Auburn Hospital and clients of Auburn Community Health Services. This service is in a unique position of being able to provide continuity of care with responsibilities extending to both community and hospital.
Health education programs and inservices are also provided.
Podiatry services are coordinated through Auburn Community Health Centre for aged pensioners who live in the Auburn LGA.
PRIMARY HEALTH CARE EDUCATION AND RESEARCH
Our aim is to develop relevant and effective interventions identified as a need in the Auburn community.
We are currently addressing 2 major public health issues, asthma and immunisation.
The Speech Pathology Team provides assessment, treatment, support and education for both adult and paediatric inpatients of Auburn Hospital who have communication and swallowing difficulties. The team also provides outpatient services for children who live in the Auburn Local Government Area (LGA). Services are provided in preschools in the Auburn LGA as well as in the Speech Pathology Department at the hospital.
TORTURE AND TRAUMA COUNSELLING
STARTTS (Service for the treatment and rehabilitation of torture and trauma survivors) provides a range of treatment services to people who have survived experiences of organised violence which includes torture and trauma experiences.
Clinical services are offered on a weekly basis at Auburn Community Health Centre. The clinic provides consultations on pap smears, breast checks, postnatal checks, contraception, pregnancy tests and advice, and other women’s health issues.
Our "Your Rights" pamphlet, containing further information in relation to the following areas, is available from the brochure stand located in the main foyer or from your Health Care Worker.
- Equal opportunity
- Staff
- Information
- Client Independence
- Access to Homes
- Clients Records
- Complaints
- Health Advocacy
To access most of our free services you do not need a referral, just call in or telephone for an appointment. The Health Care Interpreter Service is available for all Migrant Groups by appointment.
