Department of Neurology

colored brain.bmp

Head of Unit : Professor Robert Helme

Phone: 8345-6666

 The Clinical School for the University of Melbourne in Melbourne's West is located at Western Hospital. Western Hospital has state of the art imaging facilities and utilizes Neurosurgical and Neuropathology Services at Melbourne Health. There are also Neurosurgical beds and a Neurosurgical Registrar at the Western Hospital.

The Department of Neurology has both General Neurology and Stroke Service beds located on one floor of the hospital (Ward 2C). The Department regularly occupies between 30 and 35 beds in the hospital and admits approximately 600 stroke patients and 500 general neurology patients per year. The Department also utilizes the Day Hospital Facility of the hospital for one-day admission diagnostic workup and treatments. The Department provides a consultant service to all three hospitals and runs a weekly General Neurology and Stroke clinic.The Department provides a neurophysiology service to the network with EEG, NCVs/EMG and evoked responses. The department participates in Stroke treatment trials and is looking to expand this activity. It also has a special interest in the pathogenesis and management of neuropathic pain. There is a weekly clinical meeting, incorporating imaging, clinical presentations and invited speakers and a weekly clinical meeting held in conjunction with the Neurology Department at the Royal Melbourne Hospital where the trainee and fellow regularly present cases worked up on the western service. Presentations are made to the Network Grand rounds approximately twice per year. The Department provides a busy clinical training environment enabling the trainee to develop a clinical skill base that few services in the country can match, and is an ideal learning environment for junior medical staff who rotate through the service.

 

     Consultant Staff:

  • Prof Robert Helme. Special Interests: Geriatric Neurology, Pain
  • Dr Zelco Matkovic. Special Interests: Epilepsy
  • Dr Michael Poon. Special Interests: Neurophysiology
  • Dr. Grant Scott..  Special Interests: Neurophysiology
  • Dr David Freilich

     Junior Medical Staff:

  • One trainee registrar
  • One rotating General Medical Registrar
  • Two HMOs (2nd and 3rd year)
  • Neurology Fellow

     Neurology Services Office:

     General Neurology Outpatients

  • Telephone: 8345 6490
  • Facsimile:  8345 6856

     Outpatient Clinic details: Western Hospital - Tuesday Morning.

  • This clinic accepts referrals from Emergency, Outpatient Clinics and Inpatient Services only.
  • Direct referrals from GPs are not accepted at this time. Appointments for Neurophysiologic Studies can be arranged through this clinic.

     Stroke Clinic

  • Telephone: 8345 6490
  • Facsimile: 8345 6856

     Outpatient Clinic details:

  • Currently this clinic functions as a stroke follow up clinic for inpatients discharged to the community from Western Hospital.

     Electroencephalogram (EEG)

  • Telephone: 8345 6570 for enquiries re service
  • Facsimile: 8345 6342
  • Direct referrals from GPs are accepted.
  • A written referral is required, preferably by Fax

     Nerve Conduction Studies

  • Telephone: 8345 6570 for enquiries re service
  • Facsimile: 8345 6342
  • Currently referrals for Nerve Conducting Studies are only accepted if the patient is initially referred via Neurology Outpatients.