Epilepsy/Neurology Clinic

We do not accept referrals by telephone, email or fax.

Referrals must be made by a day hospital doctor, a secondary referral hospital doctor, a general practitioner or specialist USING THE VULA SMARTPHONE APP.  A referral sent via this app goes immediately to the neurology registrar (and/or consultant) on call and will be dealt with on the same day.

Geriatric Medicine Clinic

Address: L51, Old Main Building, Groote Schuur Hospital (GSH), Observatory, 7925.

Secretary:  Ms Sonya Hendricks, Institute of Ageing in Africa, L51, Old Main Building, Groote Schuur Hospital, Observatory, 7925.
Tel: 021 404 2119. Fax: 021 406 6846.
E-mail: sonya.hendricks@uct.ac.za

Head of Division: Dr Marc I Combrinck, Ward E7, GSH, Observatory, 7925. 3120 or 404 6029. E-mail: marc.combrinck@uct.ac.za

New Patient Geriatric Medicine Clinic:

Tuesday a.m. 08h30 – 12h30, H floor, Out-Patient, Department (OPD), GSH

Who do we see? Patients with age-related cognitive impairment / decline and dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia), Parkinson’s disease and related disorders, behavioural and psychological (neuropsychiatric) symptoms of dementia (BPSD), falls, frailty and immobility in the elderly, sarcopaenia and anorexia of ageing, syncope in older persons, incontinence, multi-morbidity and problems of polypharmacy in people > 65.

What do we do? We aim to provide a comprehensive geriatric assessment and clinical diagnosis. We perform special investigations such as neuro-imaging where required. We devise a management plan, and usually initiate treatment. We advise patients, their carers and the referring health care professional. Once stabilised, patients are discharged back to the care of the referring doctor or community health service.

Follow-up Geriatric Medicine Clinic:

Friday a.m. 08h30-12h30, F floor, OPD, GSH Memory Clinic: Wednesday morning, 08h30 – 12h30, Neurosciences Centre, J2, GSH.

Who do we see in the Memory Clinic? Patients with cognitive symptoms including especially memory disorders. We see patients with mild cognitive impairment, vascular-related cognitive impairment, mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, etc. Patients do not have to be over 65. Many are younger. This clinic is run jointly by the Divisions of Geriatric Medicine, Neuropsychiatry and Neuropsychology. We have a multi- disciplinary team comprising a geriatric medicine physician, a neurologist, psychiatrists and psychologists.

When are patients with cognitive difficulties seen in the Memory Clinic rather than in the Geriatric Medicine Clinic? In general, patients with early, mild or mild to moderate cognitive impairment (MMSE > 15/30) who can be formally assessed by a neuropsychologist using a battery of cognitive tests, are seen in the Memory Clinic. Patients with more advanced disease (MMSE < 15), often with concomitant behavioural difficulties, are seen in the Geriatric Medicine Clinic. You can send the referrals to either clinic’s e-mail address. We’ll decide which clinic is more appropriate after screening the referrals. There is also a Neuropsychiatry Clinic run by the Department of Psychiatry, Division of Neuropsychiatry, on a Wednesday afternoon, starting at 12 noon.

What we would like available before we see the patient: blood tests for secondary systemic causes of dementia (serum vitamin B-12, TSH, syphilis & HIV serology, renal function, calcium, FBC and ESR). Also, a basic cognitive test such as a mini-mental state examination (MMSE) or a Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). See attachment.

Also, please provide the patient’s name, date of birth, CHC or hospital folder number if available, and contact details for the patient and a relative or primary caregiver. All patients, especially those with cognitive impairment, should be accompanied to the clinic by someone who knows them well and who can provide a collateral history.

Where to send referrals?

  • You can use the Vula Medical Referral App. It is downloadable on mobile phones from the App Gallery, Google Play Store or iPhone App Store. This is currently (Jan 2022) the preferred method of referral at GSH. 
  • We also accept e-mails or e-mails with scanned PDFs of the referral letters. E-mail, Geriatric Medicine Clinic: GSH.Geriatrics@westerncape.gov.za E-mail, Memory Clinic: GSH.MemoryClinic@westerncape.gov.za Fax: 021 406 6846
  • We don’t run an acute geriatric medicine service. We’d like to, but currently don’t have the staff. Older patients with acute medical emergencies are referred to the appropriate secondary hospital acute services or the GSH Emergency Unit.

Should you wish to discuss a more urgent referral to our clinics or if you wish to discuss a possible admission to one of our 2 beds in Ward E7, you can call GSH exchange 021 404 9111 and ask to speak to the Geriatric Medicine Senior Registrar on call.

Neuromuscular clinics

  • Myasthenia Gravis (MG) clinic. These occur monthly. Only patients known with MG will be booked to be seen at this clinic. For state sector bookings contact Jolene (021 404 3209) or private patient bookings contact Suaad (021 442 1809). Further information is available from Dr Europa (tarin.europa@uct.ac.za)
  • Motor neuron disease (MND/ALS) clinic. Patients diagnosed with MND/ALS can email Dr Floudiotis (niki.floudiotis@uct.ac.za) for a booking.  
  • Neuromuscular research-oriented clinic: we see Inherited neuromuscular diseases such as genetic neuropathies or muscle dystrophies in adults and adolescents. Please ask your doctor to send a referral to Prof Heckmann (Jeanine.heckmann@uct.ac.za) or via VULA app attention: Prof Heckmann