Top End Paediatrics is a specialist paediatric practice with clinics in Palmerston (Palmerston GP Superclinic) and Darwin (CDU Medical Centre).

The practice is committed to providing comprehensive support, assessment, diagnosis and ongoing care for children and their families, from birth to adolescence.

The practice comprises Dr Fiona Kay and Dr Catherine Boyd. Drs Kay and Boyd are currently taking new referrals.

Dr Fiona Kay

Dr Fiona Kay MBBS FRACP is a general paediatrician, and a current Fellow of the Royal Australian College of Physicians.

She has an interest in community, developmental and rehabilitation paediatrics, particularly in relation to rural regions and Indigenous health.

Dr Kay has worked as a specialist paediatrician in teaching hospitals, metropolitan and regional centres in Western Australia and New South Wales.

Dr Catherine Boyd

Dr Catherine Boyd MBBS FRACP PhD is a general paediatrician, and a current Fellow of the Royal Australian College of Physicians. Dr Boyd also works at Royal Darwin Hospital.

She has previously worked in NSW and the NT, where she has had experience in general paediatrics  in both urban and rural communities. She has an interest in Indigenous health, child and adolescent developmental, behavioural and mental health problems – including eating disorders, and simple and complex medical issues.

Top End Paediatrics provides support, diagnosis, assessment, advice, treatment and ongoing review of children and adolescents with a range of issues including:

• Developmental problems
• Behaviour problems
• Learning difficulties
• Emotional problems
• Sleep issues
• Unsettled babies
• Growth problems
• Constipation
• Soiling (encopresis)
• Bed-wetting (enuresis)
• Asthma
• Eczema
• Obesity
• Chronic abdominal pain
• Headaches
• Allergies
• Infections – eg. urinary tract issues.

Behavioural, developmental, learning or emotional problems

Children with these difficulties have complex needs and require thorough assessment and ongoing care. For these children we provide:

• Assessment
• Functional support
• Diagnosis
• Specific strategies to assist with school and family life
• Referral to allied health, mental health and educational services for further assessment and support
• A comprehensive report with recommendations
• Follow up, review and ongoing co-ordination of care between health and education professionals
• Attendance at school case conferences to advocate for your child and to assist with planning of school learning supports and strategies
• In some instances, school observation visits

As Top End Paediatrics is a specialist practice, a referral from your family doctor is required before a consultation. This enables proper planning of your appointments and ongoing care, and is vital for you to claim Medicare rebates. GP referrals are valid for 12 months.

You can either visit your own GP to obtain a referral, or you are welcome to see a doctor at Palmerston GP Superclinic  or CDU Medical Centre. All children under 16 are bulk billed.

Waitlist/Bookings

Your child will be put on our waiting list as soon as we receive their referral. Our staff will call you as soon as possible with an appointment time. If you have not heard within one month, please contact the practice.

Please note, infants under six months and medically urgent cases will be seen as a priority.

Pre-Referral Guidelines for GPs

For all patients please:

• Note the key concerns of the child/adolescent, their parents/carers, as well as school or child care if involved
• Record their growth parameters

For children and adolescents with developmental, behavioural and learning problems, please arrange or encourage the family to organise the following before their visit to Top End Paediatrics:

1. Vision check / optometry report
2. Audiology assessment
3. A letter from school or child care with regards to their:

• play
• learning
• behaviour
• social skills
• communication skills
• any other observations

Please consider referring children while they are awaiting paediatric assessment to allied or mental health professionals (speech and occupational therapy/psychology) or other services for support and/or assessment. A definitive diagnosis is not required in most instances.

Programs and services for support/therapy/assessment include:

Public/free services:

• Children’s Development Team – for speech, occupational  and physiotherapy.

• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Team (Tamarind Centre) – for psychology, psychiatry and case management.
• HEADSPACE – for adolescents.
• ATAPS Program – for psychology or occupational therapy (private) funded through Medicare Local. Eligibility criteria apply.

• CDU Psychology Clinic – teaching clinic.

Private therapists – through Medicare plans:           

• Chronic Disease Management Plan for speech therapy, occupational therapy, audiology, or dietician (max. 5 sessions).

• Better Access to Mental Health Care Plan for psychology sessions (max. 10 sessions).

Please also see ‘Parenting Info & Resources’ page on this website.

What to bring to your appointment

• GP referral letter
• Any questionnaires sent from Top End Paediatrics
• Any hearing or vision check reports
• Any previous letters from childcare, schools, paediatricians or allied health professionals
• School reports
• Your child’s Medicare card
• Your private health insurance card, if you are insured
• Any concession cards that you may hold
• Your child’s favourite toy, book, game or latest creation

Children with emotional, behavioural, developmental or learning problems

Children with these issues require thorough assessment. This process usually involves 3 consultations over 3 to 6 weeks. Sometimes a fourth appointment may be needed.

You will be sent questionnaires for you and your child’s teacher/child care worker to fill out. Please send these back to the clinic before your first appointment.

Appointment One (50 minutes)

Getting to know your child/observations
Assessment of current concerns
Developmental and health history

Appointment Two (25 mins)

Physical check up of child
Developmental/play/learning assessment of child
Interim feedback

Appointment Three (25 mins)

Further feedback regarding assessment
Discussion of specific support strategies
Explanation of recommended investigations and referrals

FEES

Top End Paediatrics is a private, fee-for-service clinic. However, Medicare rebates can be claimed.

• All payments (which includes Medicare Rebate and gap fee) need to be made after consultation at reception. Cash, Eftpos and credit cards are all accepted.
• You can claim your Medicare rebate either at Medicare offices, or if your bank details are registered with Medicare, the Medicare rebate will be placed in your account within 24 hours.
• Bulk billing (no out-of-pocket expense) is available for Health Care Card holders and Pension Care holders.
• Fees take into consideration clinical time and the time spent writing letters and reports to your referring doctor and other health or education professionals, corresponding with them, and reviewing information such as questionnaires and past allied/mental health assessments.

All appointments are made through Palmerston GP Super Clinic.

Ph: 08 8919 8919

Fax:  08 8931 3737

Email: [email protected]

Palmerston GP Super Clinic

Palmerston Health Precinct

3 Gurd St Farrar (Corner Roystonea Avenue and Temple Terrace)

Palmerston

Charles Darwin University (CDU) Medical Centre

Corner of Lakeside and Ellengowan Drive, Alawa

Phone: 08 8901 8800

Top End Paediatrics recommends the following websites for up to date and easy to read information on everything from child health and development to expert parenting advice.

Raising Children Network
The Australian parenting website: comprehensive child health and parenting information covering children aged 0-15 years. This includes information about children with special needs and autism.

Parent Easy Guides
Parenting South Australia has put together simple, practical information on many of the issues faced by parents from birth through adolescence.