The Neuropsychiatric Institute

The Neuropsychiatric Institute (NPI) is a clinical academic unit that is at the forefront of delivering world-class, tertiary neuropsychiatry services both within SESLHD as well as at the state and national levels. The team comprises neuropsychiatrists, neuropsychologists, psychiatric trainees and clinical research fellows.

We see individuals aged 18 years and older with a wide range of conditions, including (but not limited to) drug-induced movement disorders; neuropsychiatric aspects of movement disorders; Tourette syndrome; psychiatric aspects of epilepsy, brain injury, stroke and other neurological disorders; Functional Neurological Disorders (FND) and complex neurocognitive disorders with neuropsychiatric features. We can provide second opinions on complex or difficult to treat psychiatric disorders, complex behavioural problems, or psychiatric disorders with presumed organic basis. We also work in partnership with the Department of Developmental Disability Neuropsychiatry (3DN, UNSW) to provide consultation and management planning recommendations.

We provide consultations and do not have the capacity to provide ongoing care to patients. the primary responsibility for ongoing care remains with the referring physician.

For patients in regional and remote areas, appointments can sometimes be offered by telehealth (video or audio) when appropriate.

We do not have the capacity to accept referrals for medico legal assessments.

For a limited number of patients, we are able to provide inpatient assessments when an outpatient assessment is not practicable. There can be a waitlist to access inpatient assessments.

Since we are a clinical academic facility, we encourage the participation of patients in teaching and research, with their informed consent.

Our Team

Medical Doctors (Neuropsychiatrists)

Dr Adith Mohan, Senior Staff Specialist, Clinical Director
Professor Perminder Sachdev, Academic Director

You may also be seen by one of our psychiatry trainees or clinical research fellows.

Clinical Neuropsychologists

Dr Catherine Hayes, Clinical Neuropsychologist
Ms Zoë-Lee Kaplan, Clinical Neuropsychologist
Dr Claudia Woolf, Clinical Neuropsychologist
Ms Lorraine Tan, Clinical Neuropsychology Registrar

Neuropsychiatry Referrals

Referrals can be sent to:
SESLHD-Princeofwales-NPI-NeuropsychiatricInstitute@health.nsw.gov.au

Please provide detailed information about the reason for referral, clinical background, recent clinical letters, summaries of relevant investigations/assessments, or management to date. Referrals should also include contact details of the person being referred, and those of carers or support persons.

Referrals should be written by specialists within the South Eastern Local Health District and beyond. Please note that NPI is a consulting service and we do not provide ongoing care. If the referrer is a GP, the patient should also be under the ongoing care of another specialist such as a psychiatrist or neurologist.

Referrals are triaged weekly for their suitability for our service. Not all referrals are accepted.

The referrer may also be contacted for more information about the patient.

Neuropsychology Referrals

The NPI Neuropsychology team accepts inpatient and outpatient referrals. We accept referrals for neuropsychological assessment for the following reasons:

Diagnostic clarification/formulation,
Baseline assessment and/or monitoring,
Cognitive characterisation/strengths and weaknesses,
Management/discharge planning,
Decision-making capacity (provide specific reason for capacity assessment eg lifestyle, consent to medical/dental treatment or financial)

Outpatient neuropsychology referrals:

Outpatient referrals for neuropsychology can be sent to:
SESLHD-Princeofwales-NPI-NeuropsychiatricInstitute@health.nsw.gov.au

Inpatient neuropsychology referrals:

Inpatient referrals can be sent to:
SESLHD-PrinceOfWales-NPI.Neuropsychology@health.nsw.gov.au

All referrals for inpatients should also include a Consult order in eMR in addition to the information specified below.

We provide inpatient neuropsychological assessment to patients on mental health wards (except Old Age Psychiatry) at Prince of Wales Hospital. We also cover all medical wards at Prince of Wales Hospital EXCLUDING Aged Care, Spinal and General Rehabilitation (neuropsychology referrals from those wards should go to the Department of Clinical Psychology at Prince of Wales Hospital). Please note that we do not have the capacity to provide acute or urgent assessments.

To ensure that referrals to be appropriately triaged, please provide the following information:

The reason for the referral, as described above.
Results of cognitive screening eg MoCA or ACE-III (it is required that screening be performed by the referring team prior to making the referral to determine suitability).
Details on the patient's admission, progress during admission and current/working diagnoses.
Neuroimaging results, if available.

The referrer will be contacted by our staff to discuss the suitability of the referral.

FAQs

What to expect during your appointment?

For individuals referred for a neuropsychiatry appointment, you will meet with one of our doctors.

Initial/new appointments can range from 60-90 minutes in length. FND assessments may be longer. We may ask you to bring a family member or carer to your initial appointment to obtain collateral information. You may be asked to complete some surveys and our doctors may refer you for additional investigations. You will be advised if any follow-up appointments are necessary. Follow up appointments can range from 30-45 minutes in length.

For individuals referred for a neuropsychological assessment, you will meet with one of Clinical Neuropsychologists and participate in an approximately three-hour, evidence-based assessment of your cognition (or thinking skills).

Where is the NPI clinic located?

NPI is a clinical academic facility located at The Prince of Wales Hospital, a UNSW teaching hospital, and is part of the Mental Health Program of the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD).

The NPI clinic will take place in the Euroa Centre (close to Gate 6, Avoca Street) at Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick.

Parking and accessibility information can be found here.

How quickly can I get an appointment?

You may need to wait several weeks to months to be seen at NPI. If your doctor thinks you need an urgent appointment, they should email the clinic to discuss your needs. We will do our best to accommodate such requests but rely on cancellations as clinics are often fully booked. If you are in a crisis you should not wait for an NPI appointment and should contact your GP or call the Mental Health Line on 1800 011 511.

What to bring to your appointment

It is helpful if you bring copies of any recent medical reports or records as well as a list of your current medications and any neuroimaging scans. If you wear hearing aids or reading glasses, it is important to make sure you wear these to your appointment.

Can I attend the clinic for a medico-legal report?

No, unfortunately this clinic does not accept referrals for medico-legal proceedings or testamentary matters.

What does it cost to attend the NPI clinic?

It is free to attend the NPI clinic. We will only require the patient’s Medicare details.

What if the appointment needs to be rescheduled?

Please contact the Neuropsychiatric Institute on 02 9382 3763 or email
SESLHD-POWNeuropsychiatricInstitute@health.nsw.gov.au. Please note we have long waiting times for the clinic so rescheduling appointments can mean long delays.

Please contact us to discuss any concerns about the scheduled appointment time as early as possible.

What happens if an interpreter is required?

If an interpreter is required, please advise our service at the time of booking and an interpreter can be arranged.

What personal information will be shared?

As part of your assessment, we will need to access information from other treating doctors and allied health clinicians. We will request that the referring specialist provide us with copies of any clinical documentation that is relevant to an individual’s diagnosis and treatment. We may also need to contact some of these care providers for further information. This is a routine part of our assessment process.

What care will patients receive at the end of their assessment?

The NPI clinic provides short term assessment to support your medical specialist. NPI will not be involved in the ongoing care of patients, however information about how to access further treatment and care will be provided, if appropriate.

Research, training and education

We are a teaching hospital, and you may be asked if you wish to be involved in research or if a student could be present at your appointment. You have a right to say no. If you do so, this will not impact in any way on the services we will provide.