Adolescent Medicine at The Children's Hospital at Westmead
Contact details
For general enquiries and clinic appointments:
phone: 9845 2446
Adolescent Medicine addresses the comprehensive health care needs of referred adolescent patients. The team aims to create a ‘youth friendly’ environment with mindfulness of psychosocial and environmental stressors. The model of care is a unified medical and psychosocial approach, supported by research.
The Adolescent Medicine Department provides inpatient and outpatient services to adolescents and their families. A range of outpatient clinics are held, including Complex Chronic Illness Services, Addiction Medicine Program, Adolescent Gynaecology Service, PCOS and Eating Disorders Service. An inpatient consultation and liaison service is provided as well as admission of adolescents with conditions like eating disorders and complex chronic illnesses.
The Children's Hospital at Westmead provides a range of special programs and opportunities for adolescent patients in hospital, including the Youth Arts Program, the Chronic Illness Peer Support Program (ChIPS) and the Youth Advisory Council.
The Adolescent Medical Unit has been a pioneer of adolescent healthcare In Australia.
Like more information?
Here is a list of services for teens.
Referrals
Our department is using Consultmed to manage referrals.
For GPs, specialists, allied health or health professionals
- The ConsultMed platform allows you to send e-referrals to us securely. Create an account to get started.
For parents and carers
- Appointments require a referral letter from GP, paediatrician or specialist to the Adolescent Medicine consultant by name.
- Emergency and Outpatient clinics can also refer for assessment.
Clinics
| Location | Adolescent Medicine Department, Level 1 |
| Appointments | Ph: (02) 9845 2446 (Intake Officer) |
| Consultants |
|
| Clinic days | Chronic Illness Self-Management – Tuesday and Wednesday. Complex Adolescent Clinic - Tuesday follow up 2pm-5pm and Wednesday new patient 10am, follow up 2-4pm CICADA Adolescent Service (formerly SAMY) – Tuesday and Thursday CICADA Family Service (formerlyTeenlink) (service for 0-18-year-olds with parents in drug and alcohol treatment) Mondays CICADA Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Service - Monday and Tuesday Eating Disorder Service - Monday 9-12pm and Thursday 8:30am - 5pm Child and Adolescent Gynaecology - Friday 9am-1pm (1-2 per month) Trans and Gender Diverse Service - Monday and Thursday Adolescent Bladder Clinic - first Friday of every month |
| Referrals | Appointments require a referral letter from GP, paediatrician or specialist to the Adolescent Medicine consultant by name. Emergency and Outpatient clinics can also refer for assessment. |
| Function of the clinic | To provide a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach to Adolescent Health. We see adolescents who may be experiencing disabling symptoms, complications of chronic illness, eating disorders, weight management concerns, drug and alcohol associated difficulties. The Gynaecology Clinic provides assessment for children and adolescents as well as those with a developmental disability. |
| Urgent cases | Contact Adolescent Medicine Consultant on Call or registrar to discuss the case. |
Complex Adolescent Service
- Multi-disciplinary assessment and treatment of complex symptomatic adolescents eg chronic pain syndromes, post viral fatigue syndrome and complications of chronic illness.
- Multi-disciplinary assessment and treatment of complex symptomatic adolescents eg chronic pain syndromes, post viral fatigue syndrome
- Medical and psychosocial assessment, individual and family support, rehabilitation to school, occupational therapy (relaxation, organisation, stress management advice), cognitive-behavioural and family therapies
- Psychiatry consultation, as required
- Tuesdays and Wednesdays in Adolescent Medicine
The CICADA Centre NSW
CICADA Adolescent Service (formerly known as SAMY) is the adolescent drug and alcohol service, with a staff specialist and psychologist providing clinical services to adolescents who are using drugs or alcohol, including:
- Assessment for patients referred by the Emergency Department , hospital outpatient departments and external agencies
- Ongoing outpatient care with medical consultant and psychologist
- Prevention, brief interventions and harm minimisation strategies
- Individual therapy
- Management of health and other consequences of substance use
- Education of patients and their families
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Service
The FASD Service offers multidisciplinary assessment for children and young people with suspected Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Comprehensive medical, developmental and psychological assessment is provided, as well as recommendations for supports and interventions.
Clinics are held on Mondays and Tuesdays by a team of paediatricians, psychologists, speech and occupational therapists.
Referrals are accepted from across NSW by a GP or other medical specialist.
CICADA Family Service
The CICADA Family Service (formerly known as Teenlink) is a health service for young people aged 0 to 18 years with a parent undergoing drug and alcohol treatment. Children of substance-using parents are at high risk of a range of adverse outcomes, including substance use. For every child and family assessed by the service, management plans are developed and implemented which identify and targets their unique issues.
- CICADA Family Service is a health service for young people aged 0 to 18 years affected by parental drug and alcohol use.
- Children of substance-using parents are at high risk of a range of adverse outcomes, including substance use
- Management plans are developed and implemented which identify and targets their unique issues with coordination of community care.
Eating Disorder Service
Based in Adolescent Medicine, in conjunction with Psychological Medicine, this service provides joint medical and psychiatric assessments of new patients with ongoing individual and family-based therapy. Outpatient Clinics are held every Monday and Thursday.
Further information regarding Eating Disorders.
Maudsley Family Based Treatment
- Intensive family therapy is provided for families whose adolescent has been in the eating disorder inpatient program upon discharge.
Chronic Illness Peer Support Program (ChIPS)
ChIPS is a group program providing support for young people living with chronic illness. CHIPS offers peer support with a group program, social activities and annual camp. Phone (02) 9845 2446 for more information.
Wade ward
Wade Ward cares for adolescents 12 to 18 years with a diverse range of conditions. This includes general medical and surgical patients, adolescents with eating disorders and those requiring long term ventilation management and rehabilitation programs.
Transition services
Young people leave the care of The Children's Hospital at Westmead by the age of 18 years.
Our goal is to ensure that they feel well prepared, to the best of their ability, to successfully manage their own health care in the future and have a good knowledge and understanding of their condition.
Transition from the familiar children's hospital setting to an adult health service involves a period of preparation and planning. It is important to start planning early in adolescence. This allows time to talk about what future care is needed, where that care should be given, and to make sure that the young person feels ready to move on to an adult health service.
It's also a time for families to familiarise themselves with their changing role, from primary caregiver to advocate, allowing the young person (where possible) to take on more of the responsibility of managing their own health care needs.
Depending on their condition they may either, access local facilities, or continue to need specialist care in a tertiary adult hospital.
Whatever the needs, our goal is to ensure that you feel well prepared to face the new challenges of managing your own health care.
Services
Your healthcare team will be able to assist you in the preparation and planning of your ongoing health care needs and put you in contact with the adult Transition Coordinators.
We have a Transition Information Kit available in Outpatients, the Department of Adolescent Medicine and other outpatient clinic areas to help with planning and to answer queries.
Trapeze
Trapeze is our transition support service. We work in collaboration with the Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI) Transition Care Network to provide comprehensive services to young people with chronic conditions in NSW.
- Consultation/Liaison service with speciality teams to facilitate chronic illness management and transition to adult care
- Subspecialties teams are encouraged to consult with the Department of Adolescent Medicine for advice around adolescent self-management, adherence to therapy and complex case coordination
- Self Management Clinic
- Service provided for adolescent self-management, adherence to therapy and complex case coordination.
Agency for Clinical Innovation Transition Care Coordinators
The Agency of Clinical Innovation (ACI) provide three Transition Care Coordinators in NSW who are based in adult Hospitals and provide a state-wide service. Their role is to ensure continuity of care for young people aged between 14 - 25 years of age with any chronic illness/ disabilities as they move to the adult health service. They also provide support to the young person for a minimum of 12 months post transition from a paediatric to an adult health care setting. The Transition Care Coordinator can assist the young person in:
- Providing information about adult health services
- Sorting out any difficulties in finding or attending adult health services
- Providing guidance/support at adult clinics
- Helping to adjust to a new adult team and a new adult service
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Providing regular contact with the young person to make sure they have successfully engaged with the adult health service.
Contact a coordinator
Eastern and Southern Area:
Silvana Techera. Phone 9382 5455: mobile 0425 232128;
Email: Silvana.Techera@health.nsw.gov.au
Western Area:
Louise Charlton. Phone: 88907787: mobile 0434 568301
Email: Louise.Charlton @health.nsw.gov.au
Northern Area:
Angela Myles. Phone: 4925 7866: Mobile 0434361202
Email: Angela.Myles@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au
Trans and Gender Diverse Service
Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network’s Trans and Gender Diverse (TGD) service provides holistic and multidisciplinary care to trans and gender diverse young people. The service provides assessment, monitoring and management of care based on the best available medical evidence and in-line with international best practice. Read our open letter about our commitment.
We acknowledge that life has many challenges and recommend these resources if in need of urgent or further support:
Lifeline Australia
Call 13 11 14
https://www.lifeline.org.au
Mental Health line
1800 011 511
Kids Helpline
1800 55 1800
headspace
1800 650 890
www.eheadspace.org.au
QLife
1800 184 527
www.qlife.org.au
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/mentalhealth/pages/camhs.aspx
TransHub
https://www.transhub.org.au/
Gender Help for Parents
Support group for parents and caregivers
www.genderhelpforparents.com.au
The Gender Centre Inc.
www.gendercentre.org.au
41-43 Parramatta Rd, Annandale NSW 2038
(02) 9519 7599 during business hours 9:00am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday