Milestones in Adolescent Health Care

The Department of Adolescent Medicine at The Children's Hospital at Westmead is celebrating over 30 years at the forefront of adolescent health and medical care.

EVENT:  4pm-6.30pm TUESDAY 16^th December 2008 

The Function Room, The Children's Hospital at Westmead

The Hospital was the first in Australia, in 1977, to establish an Adolescent Medical Unit.

Over the years this has grown to become a comprehensive health service for adolescents and their families, with a catalogue of Australian firsts along the way. 

"The Department pioneered a comprehensive, integrated and creative model of care linking in-patient, out-patient and community-based services for young people, "said Associate Professor David Bennett, who was Head of The Department of Adolescent Medicine for its first 27 years.  

Focused research has been undertaken, and undergraduate and postgraduate education and training has been provided. The Department has also supported policy planning activities at both state and national levels. "

At the international level, senior staff members have played influential roles in the establishment of both national and international associations for adolescent health, contributed to global initiatives through consultations with the World Health Organization, and participated in the work of the Society for Adolescent Medicine and other prestigious professional bodies.

The past decade has seen the expansion of clinical services within the Hospital, consolidation of clinical and health services research and major contributions to advocacy and capacity building in youth health care with the establishment of the NSW Centre for the Advancement of Adolescent Health (NSW CAAH) at The Children's Hospital at Westmead and Centre for Research into Adolescents' Health (CRASH) at SWAHS.  It will also be NSW CAAH's 10^th anniversary and CRASH's 5^th anniversary.

Recently, senior medical staff have achieved academic recognition and been actively involved in the creation of Australia's first fully university supported Chair of Adolescent Medicine.

"Despite the importance of adolescent health to the future health of our society, this area remains under-resourced" said Professor Bennett. "However, building on the legacies of the past 30 years of pioneering endeavour, we are now ready to integrate the various strands of world-class research and teaching and take our place as a world leader in the field."

The Children's Hospital at Westmead is the largest paediatric centre in NSW, providing the most advanced care and treatment options for children from NSW, Australia and across the Pacific Rim. 

Established in 1880, The Children's Hospital at Westmead is a stand-alone public Hospital and registered charity with 3,000 staff working in 150 departments. Over 60,000 sick children and their families are cared for each year in a family-focused, healing environment.

Funded by the NSW Government, The Children's Hospital at Westmead provides significant enhancements to services aided by the generosity of individual and corporate donors.  For more information visit http://www.chw.edu.au/

Available for interview:  Clinical Professor David Bennett, The Children's Hospital at Westmead

Media contact:  Leonie Leonard, Public Relations Manager, The Children's Hospital at Westmead

Tel: 61 2 9945 3364 or a.h  61 2 9945 0000

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