Author(s): Dench, C, St. John of God Hospitaller Services
Key Words: Service coordination, service coordinator, person-centred planning
Reported: Frontline, Volume 48, Part/Number 3, pages 25 - 26
(29 Jul 2009)
Service
coordination is a process designed to facilitate all aspects of a
service user’s life – home, work or school, health, and leisure. It is
based on person-centred planning; that is, designing and coordinating a
service based on the individual’s needs and goals. Service
co-ordination is a long-term process, continual changing and sensitive
to the needs of Individuals with disabilities and their families.
To
meet this need, a new service function has been developed, that of
service coordination, and subsequently a new health professional, the
service coordinator. The introduction of service coordination
represents long-term support to produce relevant integrated services
for people with disabilities. It is essential to facilitate individuals
to shape their support systems and service with a subsequent
improvement in lifestyle.