Equipment Service

The Novita Children’s Services Equipment Service is responsible for providing children and families with special equipment to help them move, play, learn and really ‘connect with their worlds’.

The Equipment Service (ES) is made up of staff with the expert knowledge and skills to help children, families, carers and Novita therapists select, set-up and access the most appropriate equipment to assist with mobility, communication, education and daily living.

ES staff can also assist with funding applications, process equipment orders and provide training to ensure equipment is used effectively to help children participate more fully within their communities. An Equipment Needs Determination form (PDF - 38Kb)helps therapists to understand the needs of children and families who need equipment and is completed by the referring person.

Who makes up the Equipment Service team?

The Equipment Service team includes specialist therapy staff - including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists and therapy assistants - along with a service area manager, team leader and administration staff.

The Equipment Store team also includes an equipment coordinator and administration staff, who manage Novita’s equipment budget, coordinate new equipment purchases, maintain and distribute recycled equipment and oversee Novita’s courier service.

Where is the Equipment Service located?

Equipment Service staff are based at both the Regency Park Centre and at Novita’s Christies Beach Office, however the team travels across the entire Adelaide metropolitan area to provide services to Novita clients.

Who can receive services?

Clients who are eligible for registration with Department of Families and Communities (DFC) and registered as Novita clients, either as full registration or as Equipment Only (EO) registration. Initial EO registration is via Novita’s Central Intake Team.
Clients are referred to Novita’s Equipment Service by the child’s therapist, family services coordinator, key worker or team leader.
When ES receive a referral a letter is sent to families acknowledging the receipt of the request, stating the equipment type and the referral number.

What is provided?

ES provides many services such as: equipment assessment and prescription, walker clinics, advice to schools regarding equipment for Novita clients, training in use of equipment, equipment review and an assessment of possible future equipment needs.

At Novita, ES manage complex equipment referrals, while standard equipment referrals are managed by the therapists working in Early Childhood Services, Child and Adolescent Services or Acquired Brain Injury. See your therapist for further details.

The South Australian Government Department for Family and Communities fund equipment items via government funding which is managed by Novita. Novita also have some allocated funds which are often used for non DFC approved items. Other funding sources include compensation, private health insurance and service clubs, such as Variety clubs (who fund splints) or Lions clubs, who support the Australian Lions Children’s Mobility Foundation (AFCMF) to fund a diverse range of walkers.

DFCfunded equipment is ordered via the Domiciliary Equipment Service (DES). DES also manages DFC equipment repairs and refurbished equipment. Novita manages a large store of recycled paediatric equipment.

To assist in using funds in the most efficient way possible, refurbished equipment is always supplied where possible. Provision is prioritised on a needs basis, with consideration also given to waiting time. A priority score is calculated and provision is approved according to funds available.

Depending on the capacity of the therapy services in ES and the primary service areas, there may be a waiting time for services.

Where can I receive support from the Equipment Service?

Support from the Equipment Service is available to Novita clients at a variety of locations – such as private homes, preschools and child care centres, schools and Novita offices.

In some cases, families may need to travel to Novita’s Regency Park Centre to access a wider range of assessment and trialling equipment, or to train in a more specialised setting.

Further information

You can obtain further information about Novita’s Equipment Service by speaking to Novita family service coordinators or therapists, or by contacting the Equipment Service team directly on:

Telephone: (08) 8243 8302
Email: equipment@novita.org.au