Rheumatology Department

Welcome to the information page of the Campbelltown Rheumatology Unit.

A Rheumatologist is a specialist physician who has expertise in diagnosing and treating diseases of joints, muscles and bones. The more common rheumatic diseases include:
 

• Joint disease – inflammatory arthritis including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, spondyloarthropaties, gout, spinal problems, and osteoarthritis
• Muscles and tendons – fibromyalgia, polymyalgia rheumatica, tendonitis
• Bone disease – osteoporosis, Paget’s disease
• Connective tissue disorders that include lupus or SLE, vasculitis, myositis and scleroderma.
• Juvenile or childhood rheumatic conditions and arthritis

We provide a comprehensive inpatient and outpatient diagnostic and management service resulting in an effective management plan to be undertaken by the referring General Practitioner or in collaboration with our Unit.

Our Rheumatology staff are skilled in all aspects of inpatient outpatient Rheumatology. Our team and their interests are:

Rheumatology Clinics
 

Early intervention in inflammatory arthritis improves the short and long term outcome, and we are pleased to offer an Early Arthritis Clinic for patients who have the following:

• Inflammatory polyarthritis – symmetrical
• Of at least 6 weeks and less than 12 months duration
• Elevated CRP or ESR

Please provide this information as part of your referral, using the current SWS-LHD outpatient referral template.

New referrals

Bookings are accepted from all sources (i.e. General Practitioner, internal, and external specialist). Appointments are only made after receipt by fax or post of a standard referral letter fulfilling Medicare requirements for a privatised clinic, and inclusive of full contact details of patient and referring doctor. All referrals to be marked specifically to one of the practitioners and these will be prioritised and appointments made. Please include any relevant blood tests or scan reports as part of the referral to assist with triaging.

Email to SWSLHD-CampbelltownOutpatients@health.nsw.gov.au or SWSLHD-CamdenOutpatients@health.nsw.gov.au

Fax to (02) 4634 4701

Post to Department of Medicine, Campbelltown Hospital, PO Box 149, Campbelltown 2560

For urgent outpatient assessments the Rheumatology advanced trainee should be contacted by the referring clinician on 4634 3000.

Donations

As a Teaching Hospital of the University of Western Sydney, the Campbelltown Rheumatology Unit is dedicated to undertaking quality research to improve our knowledge and care of patients with rheumatic diseases. Tax deductible donations assist us in initiating this research. For further information and discussion on how you can help, please contact Professor Kevin Pile on 4634 4001 or email to kevin.pile@health.nsw.gov.au 

Research

1. Our unit participates in a number of clinical trials and research studies related to all aspects of rheumatic disease, including but not limited to: inflammatory arthritis (gout, ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis), degenerative arthritis (osteoarthritis) and paediatric rheumatic diseases.
    
2. If you are a patient and would like to learn of our clinical research, please contact Professor Kevin Pile on 4634 4001 or email to kevin.pile@health.nsw.gov.au 
    
3. Potential research students and higher degree candidates are invited to contact us and discuss projects and supervision that may fulfil your requirements.  

Further information on Arthritis
www.rheumatology.org.au                                  www.arthritisaustralia.com.au