For Health Professionals

The Rheumatology team provides support to adults* with: 

• Giant cell arteritis 
• Vasculitis 
• Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) 
• Inflammatory Arthritis 
• Ankylosing Spondylitis 
• Refractory Gout 
• Other Autoimmune Connective Tissue Diseases (Scleroderma, Myositis, Sjogren’s, Mixed Connective Tissue Disease, Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease) 

*Children should be referred to Paediatrics Specialist Outpatients clinic. 

Conditions not seen at our Rheumatology Specialist Clinics: 

Patients with the following common rheumatology conditions, in the absence of inflammatory symptoms* are unable to be accommodated at present in our rheumatology clinics: 

• Osteoarthritis of the hand, hip and knees - consider referral to orthopaedics if clinically indicated 
• Chronic pain syndromes including Fibromyalgia and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome - consider referral to alternative pain clinic- nil pain clinic at BHS 
• Mechanical pain 
• Low back pain and neck pain 
• Shoulder pain 
• Osteoporosis 
• Ehlers Danlos Syndrome -consider referral to genetics clinic 
• Positive blood tests without clinical symptoms** (e.g. antinuclear antibody (ANA) or rheumatoid factor (RF)) 

* Inflammatory symptoms: Early morning stiffness, joint swelling, improvement with activity 

**Clinical symptoms: mouth/nasal ulcerations, Alopecia, Raynaud’s, Inflammatory Arthritis, Photosensitive rash, Proteinuria/Haematuria 

• Referrals should be addressed to Rheumatology: Dr Sian Campbell and faxed to (03) 5320 4822 
• If using the V10 SMART template use the drop-down menu to select ‘Rheumatology’ 

Urgent Rheumatology referrals 

We do not currently have an emergency or inpatient rheumatology service. This is managed by our General Medicine Physicians and teams. 

Urgent rheumatology conditions can be discussed with the medical registrar. Please call our switchboard on 03 5320 4000. 

Rheumatology Specialist Outpatient Clinic – Tuesday afternoons at our Ballarat campus.