The facilities and equipment are both adequate and appropriate for the rehabilitation needs of patients and are also able to provide a safe learning environment for retraining in lost skills.
Demonstrating the standard
3.1 Facilities
3.1.1 The rehabilitation medicine service conforms to the relevant universal design and construction standards for Australia and New Zealand.
3.1.2 There is wheelchair access to all areas – wards, therapy areas, dining rooms, toilets and outside areas.
3.1.3 Unless otherwise approved, a rehabilitation medicine service provides rails and hand holds in all corridors, ramps, stairs, bathrooms and toilets to ensure safe movement of people with disabilities.
3.1.4 There is ready access in the facility to all mobility equipment such as wheelchairs and walking frames to allow free access to all patients, their families and their visitors.
3.1.5 There is a safe environment for patients with cognitive impairment.
3.1.6 In inpatient facilities there is a designated dining room area for patients.
3.1.7 There is a designated day room for the use of patients, their families and their visitors when they are not involved in therapy.
3.1.8 There are private or quiet spaces for the use of patients, their families and their visitors when they are not involved in therapy.
3.1.9 There is a meeting room suitable for case conferences and family meetings.
3.1.10 There is a physiotherapy treatment area with adequate open space where gait training, general exercises, gymnastics and recreational activities may be performed. Ideally there should also be an outdoor wheelchair/gait retraining area.
3.1.11 There is an occupational therapy treatment area including space for group activities. There should also be facilities to allow for kitchen and laundry training.
Note: Various designated spaces for these therapy areas may be combined as long as they do not interfere with patient treatment from the view of either of these two disciplines.
3.1.12 There are rooms for individual therapy, counselling and consultations.
3.1.13 There is access to a room suitable for the application and removal of plasters (or similar) or bandages and for the manufacture of simple orthotics.
3.1.14 There is a heated hydrotherapy pool (ideally on-site) with access for people with disability.
3.1.15 There are appropriate storage areas for equipment which includes access to the power supply.
3.1.16 Wi-Fi or other internet access should be available for patients (preferably at no cost to the patient).
3.1.17 Appropriate and accessible nurse call systems/other environmental control systems are available in bed and therapy spaces and common areas.
3.2 Equipment
3.2.1 Based on the needs of the patient casemix, a rehabilitation medicine service provides appropriate equipment and assistive technology. Where the service does not have all the necessary pieces of equipment available on site, there are documented arrangements for referral to other facilities or organisations that are able to provide them.
3.2.2 A rehabilitation medicine service provides information regarding hospital and community-based services, insurance and disability support schemes (e.g. National Disability Insurance Scheme, ACC in NZ) to enable people with disabilities to make informed choices regarding services and equipment necessary to meet their ongoing needs.