Understanding our performance

Goal-directed care

Client stories

Smoothing the way in early speech development

Jack’s family brought him to the speech pathology team at DPV Health when he developed a stutter after his third birthday. When we first met him for an assessment in February 2021, Jack had been stuttering for almost 12 months.

Jack’s speech pathologist recommended the Lidcombe Program of Early Stuttering Intervention. The therapist worked with Jack face-to-face at the clinic and via telehealth and modelled the therapy for his mother to apply at home.

Jack is now in Lidcombe Stage 2. He’s speaking more fluently, and his parents say he’s much more confident when talking to other people. The speech pathology team will work closely with the family over the next 12 months to monitor Jack’s progress.

Reducing client falls

The DPV Health physiotherapy team worked with a young NDIS participant with a knee injury. The client’s rare genetic disorder and associated intellectual and physical disability kept him at home. His condition was getting worse; he’d had 13 falls in just two months.

We had to overcome some challenges to assess, diagnose and manage the client’s needs during lockdowns. Our team visited his home, but his behaviour was impulsive, and he often didn’t want to work with his physiotherapist. During these visits, we identified and managed risks in the home that may have been contributing to his falls. DPV Health provided rehabilitation support, including training the client’s family and carers in safe transfer methods and fall prevention.

At every stage, we stayed in touch with the client’s GP and Occupational Therapist. We recommended an orthopaedic review of his injured knee and argued for extra NDIS funding to better support his needs. Over three months, our client’s mobility improved. With his family’s support and new transfer equipment, he is able to participate in the activities he enjoys.