Overview of Liverpool Hospital Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit

History of the Unit

The Lidcombe Hospital Head Injury Unit opened in 1976 as the first unit in Australia to provide specialised rehabilitation for people with traumatic brain injury. The far-sighted initiative of Professor G.A. (Tony) Broe anticipated international developments in this field. The service provided an holistic approach to rehabilitation with an innovative group-based therapy program.

A Community Team started in 1979 with both a Transitional Living Service and Respite Care Service opening in 1981. These pioneering steps recognised that processes of recovery, rehabilitation, community re-integration and psycho-social adaptation require long-term support.

The Unit has established a national and international reputation for outstanding research in the rehabilitation of people with traumatic brain injury and was a key resource in the consultations that formed the basis for the New South Wales (NSW) Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program.

In 1995, the whole unit relocated to Liverpool Hospital, to be closer to the major trauma unit for the region which it served and to improve the flow of patients from the Trauma Service through to the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit. The Unit's philosophies and model of care continue at its new service base.
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Mission Statement

1. To provide assessment, rehabilitation and a community support service for the present and future needs of adults with traumatic brain injuries and their families.
2. To establish and develop specific rehabilitation programs to enable maximum social and vocational reintegration of people with traumatic brain injury into the community.
3. To provide a goal directed individual management system for the client and to minimise dependency and maximise function.
4. To advocate for, initiate and support the development of appropriate policies and services in the government and community sectors to meet the long-term needs of people with traumatic brain injury and their families.
5. To undertake research and education about traumatic brain injury.
6. To provide consultation and support to other service providers in the area of traumatic brain injury management.

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The Structure of the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit (BIRU)

The BIRU has five service components. These are a 16-bed inpatient unit, a four-bed Transitional Living Unit (TLU), a Work Assessment Unit (WAU), a community outreach service and a four-bed respite and short-term accommodation service (Camden Respite House).

The inpatient ward and community service are co-located in one building on the grounds of Liverpool Hospital. The TLU is a modified house, less than a kilometre away from the hospital in a residential street. The WAU is located in a light industrial area close to the hospital and the respite house is a modified house a half-hour drive from Liverpool Hospital.

Structure of the BIRU Team Back to top

Services Provided by the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit (BIRU)

Service Area and Referrals

The BIRU is funded by the NSW State Health Department. It provides rehabilitation services for people with traumatic brain injury living in South and South Western Sydney Metrpolitan areas which has a total population of just under one million.

The region has the highest concentration of people from non english speaking background (NESB) in the state of NSW, with 28.2% residents born overseas and 34.9% speaking a first language other than english.

The BIRU Community Team has an active caseload of approximately 400 clients. They consist of referrals from BIRU inpatients when  they are discharged to community and referrals post injury from health facilities, community agencies, medical practitioners, family members and self referrals.

The BIRU also has supra-regional responsibility and accepts referrals from rural brain injury services located in Southern and South Western New South Wales. Clients are referred from these areas for specialist inpatient rehabilitation and then referred back to their local brain injury service.

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Admission Criteria

• To have sustained a significant traumatic brain injury and sufficiently recovered and stable from the initial injury
• To be between 16 and 65 years of age
• To be resident or have a responsible family member resident in the South Western or Southern Sydney regions

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Further Information

Inpatient referrals

Referrals to the inpatient programme should be made to the medical staff of the unit (Staff Specialist or Registrar)

Ph: 61 2 9828 5495

Fax: 61 2 9828 5497

Referrals to the community programme should be made to the Senior Case Manager Community Team (Ms Thelma Osoteo)

Ph: 61 2 9828 5495

Fax: 61 2 9828 5497

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