The NDIS Feeding Clinic sees infants and children with a current National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plan in place, who have:
- Swallowing difficulties which may put them at risk of aspiration
- Faltering growth related to a paediatric feeding disorder
- Oral aversion
- Children who require a feeding tube (Home Enteral Nutrition (HEN) program)
The Feeding Clinic Home Enteral Nutrition (HEN) program is only available to children who are currently under the care of a Paediatrician through Northern Health.
How to refer to this service?
Due to high demand for this service, only internal referrals are accepted.
Cost:
- The NDIS plan is billed at the NDIS hourly rate.
What to bring to the appointment?
- Something for your child to eat or drink
- Videos of your child feeding at home
- Maternal Child Health Nurse (MCHN) Health and Development Record Book
- A food diary or record of home feeding routines
Contact us:
To enquire about your referral:
Contact Community Access Services (CAS)
Phone: 9495 3443
Fax: 8405 8616
For other enquiries:
Craigieburn Centre
274-304 Craigieburn Road, Craigieburn
Phone: 8338 3000
Northern Hospital Epping
185 Copper Street, Epping
Phone: 8405 8580
The Feeding Clinic sees infants and children with:
- Swallowing difficulties which may put them at risk of aspiration
- Faltering growth related to a paediatric feeding disorder
- Oral aversion
- Children who require a feeding tube (Home Enteral Nutrition (HEN) program)
This clinic only sees children who need support from both a Speech Pathologist and Dietitian.
The Home Enteral Nutrition (HEN) program is only available to children who are currently under the care of a Paediatrician at Northern Health.
How to refer to this service:
Due to high demand for this service, referrals are only accepted from Paediatricians at Northern Health.
Cost:
- These clinics are free for Medicare Patients.
- Medicare Ineligible patients will be charged a fee. Please see https://www.nh.org.au/patients-and-visitors/patient-account-information/ for more information.
What to bring to the appointment:
- Something for your child to eat or drink
- Videos of your child feeding at home
- Maternal Child Health Nurse (MCHN) Health and Development Record Book
- A food diary or record of home feeding routines
Contact us:
To enquire about your referral:
Contact Community Access Services (CAS)
Phone: 9495 3443
Fax: 8405 8616
For other enquiries:
Craigieburn Centre
274-304 Craigieburn Road, Craigieburn
Phone: 8338 3000
Northern Hospital Epping
185 Copper Street, Epping
Phone: 8405 8580
What is this service?
Dietitians assess a child’s nutritional status and growth. They provide education to improve a child’s growth and make sure they are getting the right nutrients to help them eat well and stay healthy.
Who is this service for?
Children aged 0 to 18 years who are currently under the care of a Paediatrician at Northern Health.
This service is for children with weight loss or poor growth, multiple allergies or food intolerances which require specialised diets.
We will only see children for fussy eating or weight management if they also have the above concerns.
We do not see children with a diagnosed eating disorder.
How to refer to this service:
External referrals are accepted via the Community Access Service.
You will be contacted after a referral has been received. You will be provided with information about the next steps.
What to bring to the appointment?
You may be asked to bring:
- Maternal Child Health Nurse (MCHN) Health and Development Record Book.
- A food diary or record of home feeding routines.
Cost:
- These clinics are free for Medicare patients.
- Medicare Ineligible patients will be charged a fee. Please see https://www.nh.org.au/patients-and-visitors/patient-account-information/ for more information.
Contact us:
To enquire about your referral:
Contact Community Access Services (CAS)
Phone: 9495 3443
Fax: 8405 8616
For other enquiries:
Craigieburn Centre
274-304 Craigieburn Road, Craigieburn
Phone: 8338 3000
Northern Hospital Epping
185 Copper Street, Epping
Phone: 8405 8580
Age: 0 – school entry
Site: Craigieburn Centre
What is the service?
The developmental service provides assessment and support for children who have difficulties or delays in more than one area of their development (e.g. communication and movement skills).
The Developmental Service consists of the following therapies:
Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy is for children who need help with daily activities. This may include self-feeding, playing, toilet training or dressing. Babies who use one hand more than the other, or children who have difficulty using their hands, may also need to see an Occupational Therapist.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is for children who need help to improve their large movement skills (gross motor skills) such as rolling, crawling, walking, jumping etc. Children who have muscle weakness, muscle stiffness, balance or coordination difficulties that impact their movement, may also need physiotherapy.
Speech Pathology
Speech Pathology is for children with communication difficulties. For example, children who are not using as many words as expected for their age (expressive language), have difficulty understanding what you say to them (receptive language), have challenges with social interaction (pragmatics) or have difficulty saying the sounds in words clearly (articulation). Children with stuttering or voice concerns should be referred to an alternative service.
Who is this service for?
Children aged 0 – school entry.
The developmental service provides assessment and short-term support for children who have difficulties or delays in more than one area of their development (e.g. communication and movement skills).
Children with only one area of developmental concern should be referred to their local community health service.
The developmental service is for children who have not yet commenced school.
The developmental service does not see children who have an NDIS plan in place.
How to refer to this service:
A health professional must complete the Paediatric Allied Health referral form, found HERE.
You will be contacted after a referral has been received. You will be provided with information about the next steps.
There may be long waiting times to access the allied health developmental service. It is recommended that children are referred to longer-term developmental services as soon as possible, for example the Early Childhood Early Intervention Service https://www.ndis.gov.au/.
Cost:
- These clinics are free for Medicare patients.
- Medicare Ineligible patients will be charged a fee. Please see https://www.nh.org.au/patients-and-visitors/patient-account-information/ for more information.
Contact us:
To enquire about your referral:
Contact Community Access Services (CAS)
Phone: 9495 3443
Fax: 8405 8616
For other enquiries:
Craigieburn Centre
274-304 Craigieburn Road, Craigieburn
Phone: 8338 3000
Northern Hospital Epping
185 Copper Street, Epping
Phone: 8405 8580
What is the service?
The Children’s Rehabilitation Service is for children who need short-term, intensive and targeted therapy after a recent surgery, injury or illness. All children must have a current rehabilitation goal. This service is located at the Craigieburn Centre.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is for children who need help to return to independent mobility (e.g. crawling, walking, running) and participation in daily activities (e.g. return to school, participating in sport). Physiotherapy can help your child to develop their strength, balance and coordination to achieve their rehabilitation goals.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy is for children who need help to return to independence in daily routines and activities. This may include self-care skills (eating, dressing, toileting) and setting up a safe environment at home and school.
Who is the service for?
This service is for children (0 – 18 years) whose skills and abilities have changed or declined following a recent surgery, injury or illness.
How to refer to this service?
A referral from a health professional is required for the Children’s Rehabilitation Service.
You will be contacted after a referral has been received. You will be provided with information about the next steps.
Cost:
- These clinics are free for Medicare Patients.
- Medicare Ineligible patients will be charged a fee. Please see https://www.nh.org.au/patients-and-visitors/patient-account-information/ for more information.
Contact us:
To enquire about your referral:
Contact Community Access Services (CAS)
Phone: 9495 3443
Fax: 8405 8616
For other enquiries:
Craigieburn Centre
274-304 Craigieburn Road, Craigieburn
Phone: 8338 3000
Northern Hospital Epping
185 Copper Street, Epping
Phone: 8405 8580
What is this service?
Physiotherapists work with children to return to their normal activities (e.g. walking, running, sports) following a recent injury or surgery. Physiotherapists work with children to improve their muscle strength, improve joint movement and reduce pain.
Who is this service for?
This service is for children aged 0 – 18 years requiring physiotherapy for conditions such as plagiocephaly, torticollis or positional talipes, or to improve their ability to move after a recent injury, bone fracture, or simple surgery. Please note, referrals for children eligible to be seen by a community health centre will be re-directed, as appropriate.
How to refer to this service?
A referral from a health professional is required for these services.
You will be contacted after a referral has been received. You will be provided with information about the next steps.
Cost:
- These clinics are a free service for Medicare Patients.
- Please see https://www.nh.org.au/patients-and-visitors/patient-account-information/ for more information including for Medicare Ineligible patients.
Contact us
To enquire about your referral:
Contact Community Access Services (CAS)
Phone: 9495 3443
Fax: 8405 8616
For other enquiries:
Craigieburn Centre
274-304 Craigieburn Road, Craigieburn
Phone: 8338 3000
Northern Hospital Epping
185 Copper Street, Epping
Phone: 8405 8580
Northern Health operates five public residential aged care facilities, providing essential services to support older Australians with varying levels of care needs. These facilities adhere to the Aged Care Act 1997 and the standards established by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, ensuring high-quality, person-centered care. As part of the public sector, Northern Health focuses on delivering accessible and equitable care, particularly for individuals with complex needs.
| Bundoora | Broadmeadows | Kilmore |
|---|---|---|
| Ian Brand Residential Aged Care | McLellan House | Caladenia Nursing Home |
| Merv Irvine Nursing Home | Dianella Hostel |
What to expect
Consumers of Northern Health’s residential aged care services can expect care and support delivered in alignment with Northern Health’s core values of being Safe, Kind, and Together:
By embodying these values, Northern Health ensures a supportive, inclusive, and high-quality aged care experience.
Core Values:
- High-Quality Care: Care delivered in alignment with the Aged Care Quality Standards, ensuring safety, dignity, and respect.
- Person-Centered Care: Individualised care that reflects personal preferences, needs, and cultural or linguistic backgrounds.
- Comprehensive Support: Access to clinical services including nursing, allied health, and personal care services tailored to physical, emotional, and social well-being.
- Safe and Comfortable Environment: Facilities designed to provide a secure, clean, and homely atmosphere that promotes independence and quality of life.
Additional Services:
- Resident Rights: Full respect for privacy, autonomy, and choice, as outlined in the Charter of Aged Care Rights.
- Opportunities for Engagement: Programs and activities to maintain social connections and encourage participation in the community.
- Focus on Health and Wellbeing: Services designed to ensure the overall well-being of the residents.
These services aim to ensure residents feel supported, valued, and empowered in their care journey.
Resources
- My Aged Care
- Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission
- Charter of Aged Care Rights
- Aged Care Quality Standards
- Complaints and Concerns
- Age Care Fees Explained
Clinical Trials are essential to ongoing improvements in health care, and are an important part of Northern Health Cancer Services. Clinical trials help to investigate the effectiveness of new treatments by comparing them with existing treatments, as well investigating the effectiveness of new tests and other interventions. Clinical trials are offered to patients who meet particular trial criteria. Trial participation may benefit the individual patient or may lead to improvements in outcomes for future patients. It is important to note that trial participation is completely voluntary.
The Cancer Clinical Trials Unit at Northern Health runs clinical trials for patients with different types of cancers including both haematological (blood) cancers and oncology (or solid tumour) cancers to enable local access to clinical trials for members of our community.
All clinical trials conducted at Northern Health are done so under Australian and international guidelines for medical research under the approval of a Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) and the Northern Health Research Development and governance Unit.
Northern Health Clinical Trials Unit has many years of experience in Cancer Clinical Trials, our consultants are experienced in most types of cancer and have recruited to Cancer Clinical Trials as both Principal Investigators and Associate Investigators.
We value our partnerships with Walter and Eliza Hall institute of Medical Research (WEHI) and Alfred Health. These partnerships enable us to offer patients within our community access to translational studies for upper Gastrointestinal, and Colorectal Cancers through the WEHI and allows access to Multiple Haematology and Solid Tumour clinical trials with Alfred Health.
Northern Health have a number of Cancer Clinical Trials open for recruitment including;
Haematology cancer diagnosis including;
- Elderly Acute Myeloid Leukaemia
- Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML), Mixed Phenotype Acute Leukaemia (MPAL), Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukaemia (CMML), and Higher-Risk
- Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)
- Multiple Myeloma (MM)
- Indolent Lymphoma
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL)
Oncology cancer diagnosis including;
- Lung cancer
- Colorectal cancer (CRC)
- Upper gastrointestinal cancers such as pancreas
- Breast cancer
- Prostate cancer
Brochure about Cancer Clinical Trials
- Research – Understanding Cancer Clinical Trials – English
- Research – Understanding Cancer Clinical Trials – Arabic – العربية
- Research – Understanding Cancer Clinical Trials – Macedonian – Македонски
- Research – Understanding Cancer Clinical Trials – Italian – Italiano
- FAQs about Cancer Clinical Trials – English
- FAQs about Cancer Clinical Trials – Arabic – العربية
- FAQs about Cancer Clinical Trials – Macedonian – Македонски
- FAQs about Cancer Clinical Trials – Italian – Italiano
Director/Head of Unit:
Dr Belinda Lee
Unit Leader
Lisa Walker
Contact Information:
Email: cancerclinicaltrials@nh.org.au
Phone: 0437 954 779
For Residents and Visitors
What is the Service?
Merv Irvine Nursing Home is a secure, specialist mental health residential care facility, located in the grounds of the Bundoora Centre, a campus of Northern Health. This facility is home to 30 residents, offering all single rooms, 12 with private ensuite bathrooms.
Merv Irvine is a culturally diverse and caring community. The home specialises in supporting and caring for residents with dementia and/ or mental illness. On site, 24-hour nursing care provides peace of mind for residents and their families.
Our qualified multidisciplinary team, cater for residents who have a range of care requirements, from low to high care needs. They pride themselves on working with residents and their family members to meet their individual needs and wishes.
Merv Irvine is accredited to provide all levels of residential aged care, as well as end of life (palliative) care.
What can I expect from the service?
Merv Irvine Nursing Home is secure facility, providing single rooms with ensuite bathrooms. Each of the three wings (10 residents per wing) provide shared living and dining spaces. There are multiple outdoor areas for residents to enjoy.
Nursing care is provided by Registered Nurses (Division 1 and 2) with additional training and qualifications in mental health. Allied Health services, including physiotherapy, are on site Monday – Friday. Other specialist services are also available as required.
How do I apply for tours or placement?
Contact the Nurse Unit Manager on (03) 9495 3240 to have an informal discussion and make an appointment.
Merv Irvine Nursing Home is fully accredited by the Aged Care Commission and offers the following services:
- Single rooms with mix of shared and private ensuite bathrooms
- 24 hour emergency call system available from all bedrooms and living
- Shared spaces for activities and meals. Indoors, residents can spend time in the lounges, sitting and dining room, or enjoy the privacy of their own room. For some fresh air and sunshine, residents can choose between courtyards and gardens
- Fresh meals, including morning and afternoon tea, are planned in consultation with a specialist dietician. Multiple options are offered at every meal, with regular menu rotations. Most dietary requirements can be catered for (such as diabetes-friendly or gluten-free alternatives)
- Full laundry service at no additional cost to residents
- There is a pleasant café with seating area located on the grounds.
Our qualified and experienced nursing staff aim to provide the highest quality of nursing-led care, with registered nurses on-site 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Team members are assigned to a specific group of residents to enable continuity of care and represent a constant, familiar presence in our residents’ lives. Many of our nurses are multi-lingual which is appreciated by those residents where English is their second language. Our qualified nursing staff engage with residents’ individual requirements so we can tailor care accordingly.
Allied Health services, including physiotherapy, are on site Monday – Friday. Other specialist services are also available as required, including a visiting podiatrist and eye care.
General Practitioners affiliated with our service provide ongoing medical support. If preferred, a resident’s own doctor may continue to provide care following admission. A Consultant Psychiatrist attends the facility weekly to provide ongoing assessment and treatment as required.
The Merv Irvine team are also supported by the Specialist Older Adults Consultation Service (SOACS). SOACS is a multidisciplinary mental health service that provides in reach into the facility, providing care at the level and timeliness appropriate to the resident’s health condition. SOACS works with the care team and GP at the facility to Prevent the need to transfer residents to ED where possible, reduce readmissions to Inpatient units and to support the transition of consumers to/from Inpatient admissions.
We have a range of diversional therapy activities available for our residents including drawing, craft, excursions, movies, reading, exercise groups and gardening. These activities are led by a qualified Leisure and Lifestyle Coordinator. We are keen to work with our residents to understand their individual preferences and hobbies in order to try and continue activities long established prior to moving into Merv Irvine nursing home.
Visiting Hours
Visitors are welcome anytime
Contact us
Nurse Unit Manager: Phone (03) 9495 3240
