Contact
Phone: (02) 7825 2005
Email: SCHN-CHW-Psychmed@health.nsw.gov.au
Westmead location: Level 3 on Outpatients Street, Level 3, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead
Randwick location: HIgh street, Randwick
About our service
The department of Psychological Medicine provides multidisciplinary mental health services that are evidence-based and patient-centred for children and families.
We promote the health and psychosocial wellbeing of all children and young people through education/training, research, liaison and advocacy. We see children and young people up to the age of 16 years, who receive ongoing care from a specialist medical or surgical service within Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, and The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.
Our department includes seven core clinical teams, loosely defined around a sub-speciality. These eight teams include:
- Consultation-liaison
- Developmental psychiatry
- Eating disorders
- Emergency Department mental health
- Hall and Saunders wards
- and the mind-body team for functional somatic symptoms.
We are not a crisis service.
If someone has attempted or is at risk of attempting, harm to themselves or others, call 000 or present to your nearest emergency department.
If you or someone you know needs help, call the Mental Health Access Line – the state-wide mental health information and referral service which operates 24/7.
Mental Health Access Line: 1800 011 511
Referral process for clinicians
Who we see
The department of Psychological Medicine is a tertiary referral service. We primarily see children and young people up to the age of 16 years who are:
- admitted to Hall ward or Saunders ward, the acute mental health units
- admitted to the medical wards
- receiving specialist outpatient care from another department
- receiving emergency care at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead Emergency Department or Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick
- referred by rural NSW Health child mental health clinicians for consultation through the Child and Adolescent Psychological Telemedicine Outreach Service (CAPTOS).
We are is unable to accept referrals for children and young people from the general community, or from another health facility. If a child or young person is seen by Psychological Medicine during a presentation to our Emergency department, this does not constitute eligibility to, or ongoing care by, our service.
Referral process
We accept referrals from medical and surgical specialists within The Children’s Hospital at Westmead and Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, who have an ongoing relationship with the patient.
Referral process for the department of Psychological Medicine:
- For current inpatients – contact reception on (02) 7825 2005
- For outpatients – check referral criteria for eligibility and contact the Outpatients Intake Officer on (02) 7825 2005 or email SCHN-CHW-PsychmedIntake@health.nsw.gov.au
- Requests for admission to our Acute Mental Health Units are managed by the wards. See the Acute Psychiatric Inpatient service for more information.
- Requests for admission to the Eating Disorders program is managed by the team. See the Eating Disorders service for more information.
If the referral meets the department’s criteria and is accepted, a clinician will be allocated. In instances where the referral is not accepted, the referrer will be provided feedback that includes alternative referral options.
If you don't receive a response from the department within four weeks, please contact us to ensure your referral was received.
Need support?
If you need help or have questions about the referral and appointment process, please contact us.
Phone: (02) 7825 2005
Clinical team information
Developmental Psychiatry team
The Developmental Psychiatry team provides medical and allied health services to support the mental health needs of children and young people with neurodevelopmental concerns such as Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability. We provide services to families who are inpatients or accessing medical treatment as outpatients.
The team provides services to current patients of the hospital, as well as a state-wide tertiary or second opinion service to community paediatricians and child psychiatrists through the Mental Health Intellectual Disability Hub.
The Developmental Psychiatry team also includes the Children’s Hospital at Westmead School-Link initiative and the Westmead Feelings Program.
Mind-Body team
The Mind-Body team for Functional Somatic Symptoms (Mind-Body team) provides a consultation-liaison service to children and young people admitted to our hospital for medical treatment.
In addition, we provide multidisciplinary support to children and young people with complex somatic symptoms, primarily through the Mind-Body Rehabilitation program – a two-week inpatient admission.
Our team may also provide clinical supervision to community mental health teams and private clinicians managing complex cases. Please contact the department for more information.
Referrals to the Mind-Body team are considered from staff specialists within the Children’s Hospital at Westmead.
Psychology services
There are psychologists in a range of specialist clinical units within The Children’s Hospital at Westmead and Sydeny Children's Hospital, Randwick,, including Adolescent Medicine, Cardiology, Child Development Unit, Rehabilitation, Neurology, Oncology, Psychological Medicine, Pain Management and Weight Management. They work as part of teams with other medical, nursing and allied health staff.
Clinical Psychologists provide assessment, diagnosis and treatment of emotional, behavioural, cognitive and mental health problems that may result from or complicate the management of acute and chronic medical illnesses. Clinical neuropsychologists provide comprehensive assessments of children’s cognitive and adaptive functioning within a developmental framework.
They are skilled in understanding changes in thinking and behaviour that may arise from brain dysfunction such as head injury, epilepsy, neurological disease and developmental disabilities. The assessments assist with rehabilitation planning by identifying strengths and weaknesses and monitoring progress or recovery.
There are also research psychologists who contribute to a greater understanding of a range of paediatric medical and mental health conditions.
Eating Disorders team
The Eating Disorders service is provided in collaboration with the Department of Adolescent Medicine.
It provides inpatient, outpatient and day program services across the Sydney Children’s Hospital Network.
See the Eating Disorders service for more information
Phone: (02) 7825 2446
