Metabolic Clinic

The Clinic provides a multidisciplinary service caring for children and adults who are born with problems caused by missing enzymes affecting their metabolism, and also children and adults whose doctors suspect they might have a problem.

The Clinic provides a multidisciplinary service caring for children and adults who are born with problems caused by missing enzymes affecting their metabolism, and also with children and adults whose doctors suspect they might have a problem. The Clinic looks after most of the children in South Australia who have problems picked up by the Newborn Screening Test.

The Clinic is run by a team of highly skilled specialists including metabolic doctors, dietitians, psychologists, social workers and nurses who have been trained to look after people with metabolic disorders.

How to access this service

Paediatric Clinics are held at the WCH Paediatric Outpatient department (1st Floor, Rogerson Building), or in the Craniofacial Unit (1st Floor, Clarence Rieger Building, Zone B. Appointments for the Paediatric Clinic can be made by phoning the metabolic office on (08) 8161 7295 or email cheryl.ween@sa.gov.au.

For information about adult clinics, please contact the Royal Adelaide Hospital Outpatients department on 1300 153 853, or the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Outpatients department on (08) 8222 7020.

Further information

You should receive a letter with details about the time and place for your appointment, please note the clinic area as this may change between appointments. If this time is not suitable, please phone either the Metabolic Clinic office on (08) 8161 7295 for the Paediatric Clinic.

If your appointment is at the Women's and Children's Hospital and you have been seen at the hospital and provided us with a mobile number, then you may receive a reminder SMS in the week leading up to your appointment.

You will need a referral letter from your doctor before your appointment. The letter will outline your doctor's concerns and reasons why they feel you need to see a metabolic physician.

Your first visit will take about an hour. If you or your child have not been seen at the Women's and Children's Hospital before you will need to allow extra time before the appointment to visit the Patient Registration Office where you will be asked to complete a patient registration form and be issued with a hospital file and unit record number.

You will need to bring your Medicare card and also the name and address of your General Practitioner if you have one. Please also bring your child's Personal Health Record (blue book).

Sometimes blood and urine tests or x-rays will be needed. Details about your family's health will be taken and a family tree will be usually drawn.

All patients are bulk-billed to Medicare, and you will be asked to sign a Medicare form during the appointment, there will be no out of pocket expenses.

Hours

General Business: 8.30am – 4:30 pm Monday to Friday

For emergency contact:

There is an emergency on-call number which can be used by patients and doctors 24 hours a day – (08) 8161 7290.
If you have problems getting through, call the Hospital switchboard on (08) 8161 7000 and ask for the Metabolic On-Call Doctor.

Location

7th Floor, Samuel Way Building, Zone E

Forms

If you have been sent a diet diary before your visit, please complete it as best you can and bring it to the appointment. This makes it easier to check your child’s current diet against their needs.