Cognition 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.

Availability

North South North West Statewide

Pre-referral work-up

History

All referrals should comply with the Referral Standards and specifically include:

  • Highlight specific concerns
  • Include relevant recent investigations and recent letters from private providers
  • Current medication list with any recent changes highlighted
  • Allergies
  • Past medical history
  • Please note weight loss or gain
  • If the person has services attending, please describe.

*Please ask that the patient comes with another person who can provide a collateral history.

Tests

  • FBC, U&E, LFT, Calcium, fasting lipids, HbA1C
  • TSH, B12 and Folate
  • Syphilis serology, HIV
  • MSU
  • CT Brain (coronal/saggital views)
  • Cognitive testing (e.g. GP Cog/MMSE/ MOCA) - one only
  • Results of Depression screening (e.g. GDS/DASS 21 or K10) one only

Interim/GP management

To refer a patient with this condition, please see the Aged Care clinic page for the full referral process and templates.

Useful patient resources:

Dementia Support Services

Dementia Australia Help Sheets

Alzheimer's Association - Healthcare Professionals

THS-N Dementia Services Clinical Nurse Consultant is available to conduct cognitive assessments to support General Practitioners in diagnosing dementia in the north of the state. The service includes a cognitive assessment, provision of information and education to individuals and family members and post diagnostic support. Post diagnostic support ranges from information about available support and services, and referral through MAC and/or ACAT for this service provision.

For psychogeriatric conditions please consider referral to Older Persons Mental Health Service via the Mental Health Helpline Referral Service.  For existing patients of the Older Person’s Mental Health Service please ring the OPMHS directly.

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/

For more information please see the Tasmanian Health Pathways website.

Red flags are clinical indicators of possible serious underlying conditions requiring further medical intervention. They may or may not indicate an emergency.

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:

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:

We will endeavour to see these patients within 12 weeks.

Routine:

Next available appointment.