About Our Complex Care Service

The Centre for Disability Studies (CDS) has an extensive history with providing specialist healthcare services to people with an intellectual disability, having operated the NSW Development Disability Health Unit (DDHU) out of Royal Rehabilitation Centre Sydney since 1998. CDS has a new health service for people with intellectual disability. The service is called the Complex Care Service (CCS).

Our service is for adults with intellectual disability who have complex health needs and can’t get these met by another service. We provide multidisciplinary health assessments, healthcare plans, advice, and referrals, led by a Clinical Nurse Consultant (CNC). Our service can be done in person, at our Strathfield clinic or using telehealth.

The service is funded by the Ministry of Health via a Ministerial Approved Grant (MAG) until June 2024.

Who are we?

Our multidisciplinary team includes:

  • Clinical Nurse Consultant
  • Medical Practitioner
  • Allied Health Professionals

What do we do?

Our services are tailored to the needs of individuals with intellectual disability who are seen by CCS. The team members involved will be decided as part of intake. We work with the person’s General Practitioner and other health care professionals. Some of the services we offer are:

  • Comprehensive health assessments
  • Healthcare planning
  • Assessment reports
  • Suggestions for the person, their supporters and health professionals about what services, interventions and care might help the person to reach their goals.

How do I access the service?

To be eligible for our service, the person must live in NSW, be 18 years or over, have an intellectual disability and meet the following:

  • Be referred to CCS by a General Practitioner responsible for ongoing care.
  • Have unmet complex health care concerns that another service can’t meet.
  • Be eligible for Medicare services.

 

Priority will be given to people who don’t have access to a specialist intellectual disability health team in their local health district.

Contact

Referrals*

Referrals to the CCS team, requires a referral letter from their General Practitioner, highlighting the person’s complex health needs and what services/intervention has been tried to date.  The referral can be sent to the team via email – ccs@cds.org.au.

*Please note we are now taking referrals however the service may not commence until 1 July 2023.

Enquiries

For enquiries about the service, you can contact the CCS team via the contact details below.

Email – ccs@cds.org.au

Clinic Telephone – 0434 121 767

CDS Main Office Telephone – 02 9036 3600

Clinic Location

Bethany Centre

18A Margaret Street

Strathfield NSW 2135

Please note there is no receptionist at the clinic and CCS only operates one day per week.