Disability Liaison Officer (DLO)

The purpose of the DLO Program is to improve outcomes and healthcare access for people with disability in Victoria by:

• Continuing to ensure people with disability experience timely access to appropriate health supports
• Championing and supporting delivery of service improvements aligned with Inclusive Victoria: State Disability Plan 2022-26 systemic reforms and health commitments

This is a funded program and there is no cost to the health service or consumer for the DLO service.

Our catchment

The Northeast Health Wangaratta DLO program provides services to the following catchment:

• Alexandra District Hospital
• Benalla Health
• Euroa Health
• GV Health
• Mansfield District Hospital
• NCN Health
• Northeast Health Wangaratta
• Seymour Hospital
• Yarrawonga Health
• Yea and District Memorial Hospital

To make a referral please use our online Disability Liaison referral form

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Stefanie Herrera (Health Service Access)
Phone: 0427 416 960
Email: disability.support@nhw.org.au

The Disability Liaison Officer (Health Service Access) provides support for people with disability, their families and carers to access services. This is a free service for patients, carers and families.

Anyone can make a referral to our service, including patients, carer and disability support providers. Referrals do not need to be made by a health professional.

• We do not take the place of healthcare professionals.
• We listen to what is needed to access health care.
• We work with healthcare teams to ensure access to the care and support that the consumer needs.

Before presentation to hospital we can:

• provide information about support for patients, carers and families
• discuss what the consumer needs to access services and feel safe
• work with the health team to ensure provision of accessible and inclusive care
• provide support for consumers to attend appointments.

During the hospital stay we can:

• support patients and your carer/s
• support and educate staff involved in care
• help with information and discharge planning.

On discharge we can:

• support access to health services and other health and human services.
• offer advice to health services about providing care that is accessible and inclusive.

COVID-19 support we provide:

• information and support to access COVID-19 screening
• information and support to access COVID-19 vaccination
• assistance with vaccination bookings for Supported Disability Accommodation services
• access to RATs (Rapid Antigen Tests).

To make a referral please use our online Disability Liaison referral form

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Amanda Earnshaw (System Change)
Phone: 0429 331 748
Email: disability.support@nhw.org.au

The Disability Liaison Officer (System Change) supports the delivery of service improvement by addressing barriers that prevent people with disability from accessing services including fear, uncertainty and issues with accessibility.

This will be achieved by:

• Reviewing and updating systems to identify and respond to people with disability
• Education and training for the workforce on engaging with people with disability
• Supporting strategies and actions to improve the recruitment and retention of employees with disability
• Developing and strengthening disability action plans

The DLO (System Change) is available to provide resources, support or guidance in any of the above areas.

 

Referring clinicians (internal and external to Northeast Health Wangaratta) are responsible for:

• considering options available to patients in the community setting and informing patients of their current treatment options, so they can participate in decision-making about future care and treatments
• ensuring referrals to health services for non-admitted specialist services are made with the agreement of the patient, recognising the content of any advanced care directive and including that the patient has agreed that their personal and health information can be shared with the health service
• complying with statewide or local referral criteria and provide complete and accurate information on the referral request to streamline the referral process and patient access
• providing your contact details and indicate your preferred method of communication for correspondence with us
• continuing to monitor the condition of the patient and notify us if there is a change in their condition that could affect the urgency of treatment, or the care required

Useful Links

• Murray Health Pathways
• Minimum referral information
• Statewide referral criteria