Respiratory, Sleep Medicine and Chest Clinics

Your GP or your specialist will decide if you need to use our services. You need to be referred by your GP to see a Respiratory Consultant.

Dr Nicholas Murray

(Head of Department)

Dr Elizabeth Brown Dr Anup Desai
Dr Andrew Dimitri Dr Hazel Goldberg Dr Paul Hamor
Dr Chaminda Lewis Prof Paul Thomas  

 

 

Clinic

Attending Specialist

Description of Clinic

Respiratory and sleep clinic

Monday 9am

Dr Chaminda Lewis, Respiratory and sleep physician

Clinic includes both general respiratory and sleep with a special focus on non-invasive ventilation (NIV), spinal cord injury and neuromuscular diseases.

Special interests in interstitial lung disease (ILD), pleural disease, endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS), sleep medicine, NIV in complex patients with spinal injuries and neuromuscular disorders.

Respiratory and sleep clinic

Monday 12.15pm

Dr Elizabeth Brown, Respiratory and sleep physician

Special interests in cystic fibrosis and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) research including recruitment for a multicentre trial of mandibular advancement splint and other trials of novel treatments for OSA.

Respiratory and sleep disorders clinic

Tuesday 1.45pm

Dr A. Desai, Respiratory and sleep physician

Dr Desai reviews all sleep and respiratory patients.

Special interests in sleep disorders, both respiratory and non-respiratory sleep disorders, including snoring, obstructive sleep apnoea, restless legs, narcolepsy, parasomnias and other movement disorders in sleep.

He has particular expertise in the management of sleep disorders and driving.

Tuberculosis clinic (Chest)

Wednesday 9am

Dr Hazel Goldberg, Consultant 

Dr Goldberg runs a weekly tuberculosis (TB) clinic.

Services include diagnosing and managing active TB, screening for latent TB infection (LTBI) among health care workers, those exposed to TB, migrants and the immune suppressed and treating LTBI, organising radiology surveillance as well as  BCG vaccination service. 

A referral is needed from the nurse’s clinic.

Respiratory and sleep clinic

Thursday 8.30am

Prof Paul Thomas, Respiratory and sleep physician

Professor Thomas has a particular interest in sarcoidosis. He also sees patients with other immunological diseases of the lung, severe asthma, COPD and lung cancer.  He is also an international expert on diving medicine.

Respiratory and sleep clinic

Thursday 1pm

Dr Nicholas Murray, Respiratory and sleep Physician, Head of Department

General respiratory and sleep medicine, interventional pneumonology including endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS), interstitial lung disease, neuromuscular disease, cystic fibrosis and diving medicine.

Lung function laboratory

Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm

Lung function laboratory staff

Offers a range of lung function and exercise tests for both inpatients and outpatients. This includes; skin allergy testing, investigation for home oxygen, fitness to fly tests and saline challenge tests used for diagnosing asthma and suitability for scuba diving.

Nurses clinic

Monday, Wednesday, Friday 8.30am

Nurses

Our nurses clinic provides TB screening (TST/Mantoux), including screening for immigration, TB education and BCG vaccinations.

Sleep laboratory

Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm, plus overnight stays

Sleep laboratory staff
  • Offers both daytime and overnight sleep studies which require a referral. 
  • Help with mask fittings
  • Conducts machine downloads for compliance
  • Help if you are having problems with your machine and/or mask.

 

Bronchoscopy service

Tuesday, Thursday &  Friday 8.30am

Respiratory staff specicalists Performs bronchoscopy, EBUS, pleural tap for both inpatients and outpatients. Requires referral from a respiratory Specialist.
Smoking cessation
Asthma education
Respiratory clinical trials

Monday - Thursday 9am -5pm

Kerry Luttrell Provides individual counselling service to help patients and staff to quit smoking.  Offers outpatient asthma education.  Conducts clinical trials in asthma and COPD.

 

Making and cancelling an appointment

If you need to make an appointment please ask your GP to fax us your referral letter. The Department of Respiratory Medicine will then send you your appointment letter by Australia Post. If you provide your mobile phone number you will receive a SMS reminder 4-5 days before your appointment.

If you need to change or cancel your appointment please telephone Respiratory and Sleep Medicine on (02) 9382 4631.

 

Waiting Times

 

Doctor clinics

You may need to wait up to 3-4 months before you can see a Respiratory Consultant.

It is a busy centre and there could be delays when you arrive for your clinic appointment. Most people are seen within one to three hours.

 

Nurses Clinic

The waiting period for the nurse’s clinic is usually between 1 and 3 weeks.

 

Lung Function Clinic

The waiting period for the Lung Function clinic is usually between 1 and 3 weeks, but depends on the test you need. If you need a test urgently we usually will organise this to happen within a few days.

 

What will happen

It is a busy department and there could be delays when you arrive for your clinic appointment. Most people are seen within one to three hours. We ask that you arrive at your scheduled appointment time to prevent waiting even longer.

You will see a nurse who will measure your weight, height, blood pressure, pulse and temperature.

You may also see a hospital scientist who may perform lung function testing.

 

What to bring

  • Your referral letter from your GP
  • Your Medicare card
  • Any relevant recent test results
  • You are welcome to bring a support person (a relative, friend or carer) with you.

 

Do you need an interpreter?

Please let us know if you need an interpreter. You can contact us telephoning the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) on 131 450. Tell the operator what language you speak, and then ask the interpreter to set up a telephone conversation between you, an interpreter, and the Diabetes Centre on 9382 4600.

 

Research, Training and Education

We are teaching hospital and you may be asked to be involved in research or for a student to be present at your appointment. You have a right to say no. If you do so, this will no impact in any way on the services we will provide.