Cognition Clinic

This condition is treated in the Aged care clinic.

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 Island Clinic

For more information please see the HealthPathways Tasmania website.

Availability

North

Launceston General Hospital
Level 3 - Specialist Clinics

Phone: 1300 977 694
Fax: 03 6777 5227

North West

North West Regional Hospital

Phone: 03 6493 6300

Fax: 03 6464 1928

Mersey Community Hospital
Phone: 03 6166 7893
Fax: 03 6222 8476

South

Repatriation Centre (Lower Statton Building)

Phone: 03 6166 7763
Fax: 03 6173 0325
Email: [email protected]