Cystic Fibrosis Multidisciplinary Team
Respiratory consultant/doctor
At Monash Health we have three adult respiratory consultants/doctors who work together to provide best practice care. Our consultants currently have clinic appointments on Monday mornings, Wednesday morning/afternoons, Thursday mornings and Friday mornings. They conduct a ward round for inpatients (people who are in hospital) on Tuesday afternoons. Inpatients will be seen daily during the week by the CF registrar and on weekends by the respiratory registrar on call who will liaise with the consultants as required.
Our consultants are Dr Chris Daley, Dr Michael Pallin and Dr Harshan Jeyakumar.
CF Nurse Coordinator
The CF nurse coordinator will be your first contact during business hours. These nurses are specialised in working with people with CF and can either answer your questions or communicate with the rest of the team to ensure you are receiving the best care. They can assist with education, admissions to hospital and prescriptions and are a good first point of call for anything CF related.
Our CF nurse coordinators are Jane Willis and Melanie Harrison.
Dietician
A team of dieticians will work with you to manage your nutrition. They will track your weight and will adjust meal plans, pancreatic enzymes and nutritional supplements accordingly. They will also provide education about specialist nutritional needs in CF such as:
- Healthy eating and diet quality in CF
- Achieving a high energy diet
- Salt and hydration
- Vitamins, minerals and probiotics
- Pancreatic enzyme replacement and managing malabsorption
- Prevention of constipation
- Management of CF related diabetes
- Supplemental tube feeding
Our dieticians are Caitlin Miles, Mary-Kate Inkster and Hannah Vass.
Physiotherapist
Our physiotherapists can teach you a variety of airway clearance techniques to help keep your lungs healthy. They can also help with teaching appropriate inhaler and nebuliser techniques, assessing exercise tolerance and prescribing exercise programs and assessing and treating musculoskeletal, continence and sinus issues. You can see a physiotherapist during clinic appointments and once to twice daily during your stay in hospital.
Our physiotherapists are Shelley Bowen and Jessica Sproule.
Massage Therapist
Since 2018, CF Together have supported with funding towards a massage service for people with cystic fibrosis at Monash. Our massage therapist provides remedial, therapeutic, and relaxation massage incorporating aromatherapy and stretching.Â
Massage therapy has been found to improve muscle tightness, pain, thoracic mobility, ease of breathing, stress and quality of life in people with CF.
Our massage therapist is Tracy Shanal.
Clinical Psychologist
Clinical Psychologists support people with Cystic Fibrosis and their families to navigate psychological challenges associated with living with a chronic health condition. They provide assessment, formulation and treatment, with a focus on collaborative and recovery orientated care.
Our clinical psychologist is Kirsty James and she works Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Social Worker
You will meet a social worker at your clinic appointments who will get to know you and your significant others. They will be able to help you overcome challenges you may face due to your CF journey. These may include navigating the health care system, improving emotional and psychological wellbeing, linking into practical support networks as well as accessing financial assistance.
Our Social Workers are Naomi Erlich and Maddy Thiele-Evans.
Nursing Staff
You will meet many nursing staff throughout your care within Monash Health. The nurses on the wards are there to help your time be a little easier while you are in hospital. They will liaise with the CF doctors and allied health team while you are an inpatient and attend to medications and observations.
Pharmacist
The Pharmacist will help you understand the new medications you require. They can fill your prescriptions and answer any questions you may have about your medications or the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
You
You are the most valued member of your healthcare team. You know your symptoms best and your opinions are highly valued. Please do not hesitate to ask us any questions you might have about your healthcare.