Ashford Hospital has a highly skilled Allied Health team available to provide patients support as required. The services include:

• Dietetics & Nutrition
• Physiotherapy
• Speech Pathology

Referrals to these services can be made in consultation with your Doctor.

Dietetics & Nutrition

Our team of Dietitians at Ashford Hospital have a wealth of knowledge and experience to meet your specific dietary requirements. Our team service all areas with specialised care in:

• Geriatric medicine
• Oncology
• Gastrointestinal Medical and Surgical Specialties
• Bariatric Surgery
• Cardiac Medical and Surgical Specialties
• Women’s Health

Our Dietitians provide:

• Individualised nutritional assessment, education and counselling
• Ordering of special diets and enteral nutrition
• Discharge planning support including equipment hire, registrations and referrals where applicable
• Group education sessions
• Education of organisation staff and consultation with other professionals on nutrition related issues
• Development of nutrition support resources and policies
• Development and review of the hospital food service system

Physiotherapy

Ashford Hospital has a highly skilled team of Physiotherapists available toprovide patients with support as required. Our Physiotherapists service all areas, with specialised care provided in:

• Cardiothoracic Surgery & Cardiac Rehabilitation
• Critical Care
• Medical/ Surgical/ Geriatrics
• Orthopaedics
• Women’s Health/ Postnatal

Our Physiotherapists also provide patients with education and other assistance, including:

• Equipment purchase, hire and walking aid prescription
• Referrals to outpatient services
• Home exercise programs and safety recommendations for discharge
• Advice regarding return to normal activity/ work

Speech Pathology

Our Speech Pathology team provide assessment, diagnosis and management of swallowing and communication difficulties (including speech, language, voice and cognition).

Swallowing and communication difficulties can occur in the following patient populations:

• Geriatric population
• Head and neck cancer
• Degenerative diseases
• Respiratory disorders
• Neurological injuries (stroke)

Our Speech Pathologists provide:

• Assessment and diagnosis of disorders of swallowing and communication
• Provision of a management plan
• Education and counselling to family and carers
• Referral to other services/healthcare professional where indicated

Other Allied Health Services

Other Allied Health services that are available as required for Ashford Hospital inpatients include:

• Occupational Therapy
• Social Work
• Podiatry
• Psychology

Our aim is to make patient discharge a smooth process. When admitted to Ashford Hospital, your discharge needs will be discussed with you and your family / carer. Case Managers are available to assist with planning additional support, should they be required on discharge.

Case Managers act as a resource for staff and can also meet individually with patients (and their next of kin), who have complex care needs or who will not be able to return back into the community without additional support.

Community referrals are dependent on multiple factors, which can include patient’s health fund, age, health needs, availability of resources and waiting periods. Case managers are able to provide support and direction for referral.

All people, irrespective of religious faith or cultural background have pastoral and spiritual needs. Illness or other traumas in life can be stressful and at these times the help of others may be valuable. Family members and friends are often an important support, but sometimes the presence of a person who is independent of the situation can be helpful.

Our pastoral care team is available to be a listening presence if you would like to talk through what is happening for you or can offer prayer and traditional faith support if that is appropriate to your needs.

The Sacred Space, an area for prayer and reflection, and also a Muslim prayer room arelocated on Level 1. The Anzac garden can be accessed via Marion ward on the ground floor.

Chaplain Rev Liz Dyson is located at Ashford Hospital and can be contacted on 08 8375 5953.

Clinical Pastoral Education

Ashford Hospital is an accredited centre for training inClinical Pastoral Education; please contact Rev Liz Dyson on 08 8375 5953 formore information.

Ashford Hospital offers an inpatient and outpatient Diabetes Service, coordinated by a credentialed Diabetes Educator.

• Outpatient service provides comprehensive and individualised care to people living with diabetes
• Accepts referrals from Endocrinologists / Obstetricians / GPs / self-referrals
• Most Private Health funds reimburse fees for diabetes education, where there is the appropriate hospital cover

For further information on this service please phone 08 8375 5222 and ask to speak to our Diabetes Educator.

An interpreter service can be arranged when necessary. Please ask the nursing staff to arrange an interpreter for you. Charges may apply.

We are reducing our waste, one digital newspaper and magazine at a time.

Our patients now have access to a free digital content service, which offers users access to over 7,000 newspapers and magazines - from art, through to health and fitness, fashion and everything in between. Available in over 150 languages and accessibility-friendly, we look forward to not only caring for you during your stay, but keeping you entertained too.

Login using our free Wi-Fi, to access the latest content during your stay.

Ashford Hospital has a highly skilled Wound, Ostomy and Continence Manager available to assist patients and our staff as required.

This service includes the management of patients with complex wounds, new stomas or continence issues. The role complements the care provided by our nursing and Allied Health teams to provide a holistic service to our patients.