Aged Care (including Parkinson's Clinics and Specialist Outreach Clinic)

The Department will periodically contact patients waiting for an outpatient clinic appointment via SMS, with a link to an electronic form.  This is part of routine waitlist auditing to ensure patient details are up to date.  If you receive this SMS, please update your details.

For the assessment and management of ageing-related conditions.

Availability

North South North West Statewide

Scope

Aged Care provide two main types of clinic:

  • General Geriatrics for people with falls, cognitive disorders, frailty, complex chronic conditions of old age and geriatric oncology assessments.
  • Movement Disorder Clinics for people with Parkinson's Disease and other movement disorders.

For psychogeriatric conditions please consider referral to Older Persons Mental Health Service via the Mental Health Helpline Referral Service NB in the NW Dr Krishna will also see patients with psychogeriatric issues or Dr Sharma.

Emergency conditions

There are no emergency criteria.  If you feel the patient needs to be seen urgently (within the week) it is suggested you telephone the on-call Geriatrician (via RHH switch) to discuss prior to referral.  If the patient is known to the service please contact the consultant involved.

Referral process

Requirements

A referral is required for all new appointments and must conform to the Referral Standards as outlined on For Clinicians. eReferral is now the preferred method of referral for this service and is available in all THS regions. Please refer via HealthLink SmartForm eReferral through your software system (either Best Practice, or Medical Director). For instructions, see Quick Guide: Creating an eReferral.

Specifically include:

  • Relevant letters from consultants that the patient may have seen in private
  • Correspondence detailing the problems
  • Current medication list
  • Allergies
  • Past medical history

Please forward relevant private investigation results and ask patients to bring current medication list and any current radiological imaging performed to their appointment (e.g.: MRI, CT etc).

If referring to assess possible dementia, it is essential that the patient is accompanied by a friend or family member to provide the necessary collaborative history.

Please indicate if an interpreter is required and for which language.  We will arrange this when booking the appointment.

Process

Referrals need sufficient information to allow triage and act as a clinical handover and must conform to the standard - see specific clinic advice.

Referrals are registered by the clinic to which they are referred and are triaged according to the specific clinic guidelines.

Clinic Appointments - Appointments are based on clinical priority:

Emergency

Proceed to Emergency Department (ED).

LGH ED Reception  – Phone: (03) 6777 6405  Fax: (03) 6777 5201

MCH ED* – Phone: (03) 6478 5120  Fax: (03) 6441 5923

NWRH ED* – Phone: (03) 6493 6351 Fax: (03) 6464 1926

RHH ED Reception – Phone: (03) 6166 6100  Fax: (03) 6173 0489

Advice for medical practitioners can be given by the Medical Officer In Charge (MOIC) - see HealthPathways Tasmania for contact information.

*MCH and NWRH MOICs request GPs call them prior to referring a patient to ensure the patient is being sent appropriately to a safe destination.

Urgent / category 1

We will endeavour to see these patients within 4 weeks.  Urgent referrals should be accompanied by a telephone call to the Consultant/Registrar or Clinic Nurse to organise urgent review.

Semi-urgent / category 2

We will endeavour to see these patients within 12 weeks.

Routine / category 3

Next available appointment.

Referral template

For use by health professionals only

Additional information

The ISLAND Clinic is a bulk billed diagnostic interdisciplinary clinic that will be associated with research and available to all Tasmanians with suspected cognitive impairment. The clinic has been developed by the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre. See also https://islandclinic.utas.edu.au/

Aged Care Connect

Carers Association

Continence Service

Dementia Association

Dementia Support Services

Direct links to Health Pathways Older Person's Health or Falls Prevention and Assessment page.