GP Psychiatry Support Line
MEET SOME OF OUR PSYCHIATRISTS
DR MARTIN COHEN PHD, MBBS; FRANZCP
CONJOINT ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
SENIOR CONSULTING PSYCHIATRIST
A/Professor Martin Cohen completed his training in Medicine at The University of Sydney in 1996 and became a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists in 2002. He won the Dissertation Prize in 2002, awarded by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, for his work in better understanding the link between cannabis and mental illness.
He has over 20 years of clinical experience and extensive research experience in the fields of medical education, brain imaging and mental illness, population studies, and clinical research. He has published over 70 articles in scientific journals and presented papers at international conferences, as an invited speaker or as part of the scientific program.
His passion for serving the needs of the community to provide the highest quality mental health services have been demonstrated in his previous roles as RANZCP Director of Specialist Training and Executive Director of Hunter New England Mental Health Services. He is a conjoint Associate Professor at the University of Newcastle and a Director on the Boards of Hunter New England Health and the Hunter Medical Research Institute.
His most recent appointment as Deputy Commissioner for the Mental Health Commission of NSW underpins his passion for advocacy and care for people with mental illness.
DR KUMUDU RATHNAYAKA B.MEDICINE, FRANZCP
SENIOR & CHILD PSYCHIATRIST
Dr Kumudu Rathnayaka is a senior child and adolescent psychiatrist who completed her initial medical degree and postgraduate training in general adult psychiatry in Sri Lanka. She has been living in Australia for over 15 years and has worked in many different settings here in general adult psychiatry, consultant liaison psychiatry, perinatal psychiatry and child, adolescent and family psychiatry.
Dr Rathnayaka completed her advanced training in child, adolescent and family psychiatry with the Institute of Psychiatry, NSW. She specialises in working with parents and infants, young children, out of home care children as well as psychotherapy and family work.
DR SALLY LAMBERT B.MEDICINE, FRANZCP
SPECIALIST PSYCHIATRIST
Dr. Lambert is a medical doctor and completed her medical training at the University of Newcastle. She is Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists and is trained as a General Adult Psychiatrist. Dr. Sally Lambert is a consultant psychiatrist with specialist qualifications in General Adult Psychiatry.
Dr. Lambert provides assessment and treatment services for Anxiety disorders, Mood disorders, Drug and Alcohol issues, Psychotic disorders and Personality Disorders. Dr. Lambert primarily sees adult patients at Lakeside Clinic but she also has to admit privileges to Lakeside Clinic at Warners Bay Private Hospital, where Dr. Lambert is a Visiting Psychiatrist.
In addition to private psychiatric practice, Dr. Lambert holds a Staff Specialist position at the Hunter New England Local Health District, working with families and pregnant women with addiction and psychiatric problems.
DR MICHAEL BREAKSPEAR MBBS; FRANZCP
PSYCHIATRIST
Michael Breakspear is an adult general psychiatrist with a broad interest in mood disorders, anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, neuropsychiatry, ageing and addiction. After completing his Psychiatry training across different parts of Sydney and NSW, Michael moved to Queensland and built an extensive research background, with a particular interest in Translational Neuroscience.
As a psychiatrist, Michael’s aim is to contribute to our understanding of major mental illnesses such as mood disorders, schizophrenia, autism and dementia. These contribute strongly to the burden of illness in all societies and cause significant distress to those affected.
Michael comes to Newcastle to continue developments in research with the Hunter Medical Research Institute, and as a consulting psychiatrist for ProCare. He has also come for the surf, the balanced lifestyle, and community spirit that the Hunter offers.
DR SUJATHA VENKATESH MBBS, FRANZCP
CONSULTANT PSYCHIATRIST
Dr. Venkatesh is a fellow with The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists FRANZCP, and has been working in the busy public mental health system for many years.
She has her special interests in First episode Psychosis, mood disorders including Bipolar disorder, Depression, anxiety, and psychotic disorders. Dr. Venkatesh provides Telehealth consultations with HelloDoc to patients with a variety range of mental health conditions.
DR TARUN YADAV FRANZCP, MD Psychiatry, MBBS
CONJOINT LECTURER - UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE
PSYCHIATRIST
Dr Tarun Yadav has been a fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists after finishing his training requirement in QLD and Newcastle. He finished his MD, Psychiatry qualification from University of Delhi in 2010 before deciding to move to Australia to pursue his interest in field of Addiction Psychiatry.
His experience spans both inpatient and community settings and he is currently working part time with Hunter New England Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Services as Addiction Specialist. He is also a Conjoint Lecturer with the University of Newcastle, and he is currently actively involved in research projects in the field of addiction. He also has been involved with the Black Dog Institute in Sydney with their mood disorder unit.
In addition to Addiction Psychiatry, Tarun has a particular interest in Neuropsychiatry, Adult ADHD, Anxiety disorders, and incorporating TMS(neurostimulation) and CBT approaches into psychiatric care.
DR TOLULOPE FAJUMI FRANZCP, MD Psychiatry, MBBS
FORENSIC PSYCHIATRIST
Dr Fajumi is a Forensic Psychiatrist who has worked for Hunter New England Mental Health as a psychiatrist since 2015. She is a fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, and holds specialist medical registration with the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency.
She completed her primary medical degree in 2002 at King’s College Medical School, London and began psychiatry training in 2004. She became a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (UK) in 2009 and completed her training in psychiatry (specialising in Forensic Psychiatry) in 2014.
Dr Fajumi has a holistic and recovery focused approach to dealing with mental health issues. Her areas of expertise include the assessment and treatment of a wide range of conditions including schizophrenia, mood disorders (such as bipolar disorder and depression) anxiety disorders and drug and alcohol disorders. She has particular expertise in the management of complex, treatment resistant mental health conditions, and the interface between mental health and the Law.
DR SU LYNN CHEAH MBBS, MMedStats, FRANZCP
PSYCHIATRIST
Dr. Cheah is a general adult psychiatrist. She graduated in medicine from Monash University and completed specialty training in New South Wales.
While Dr. Cheah finds virtually all aspects of psychiatry interesting and rewarding, she’s particularly interested in computational neuroscience, global mental health, and the intersection of psychiatry and emerging technologies on an academic level.
DR ANJALI SAINANI MBBS, FRANZCP
PSYCHIATRIST
Dr Anjali Sainani is trained as a Psychiatrist and practices at Springwood in Queensland. She has a special interest in managing clients with mood and anxiety disorders, co-existing mental and physical illness including chronic pain as well as women’s mental health including mental health problems associated with pregnancy, childbirth and the first post-natal year.
DR MEERA RANGANATHAN MBBS, FRANZCP
PSYCHIATRIST
Dr Ranganathan is a fellow with The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists FRANZCP, and has been working in the public mental health services for many years.
She specialises in assessment and management of mental health conditions, in inpatient and Community settings. Her expertise is in management of psychotic disorders - First episode psychosis and Schizophrenia, mood disorders - depression and Bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, treatment resistant psychiatric illness and comorbid substance use disorders.
She believes in working collaboratively with patients, families and primary health care providers and practices within a recovery oriented approach.
DR DOM SARIC FRANZCP, MD Psychiatry, MBBS
PSYCHIATRIST
Dr Dom Saric completed his medical training in 2010, receiving his MBBS from The University of Sydney. He completed his training as a general psychiatrist, and was granted Fellowship with the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, recognising his qualifications in General Adult Psychiatry.
Dr Saric has trained in a variety of settings and sub-specialties, with a particular interest in adult intellectual disability and developmental delay, psychotic disorders, personality disorders, and drug & alcohol issues. In addition to private practice, Dr Saric also holds a staff specialist position at the Psychiatric Emergency Service with Hunter New England Local Health District, working primarily with inpatients in the Mental Health Intensive Care Unit.
DR JOSEF MCDONALD MBBS MPH FRANZCP
NEUROPSYCHIATRIST
Dr Josef McDonald is a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. Dr McDonald completed his medical degree at the University of New South Wales and subsequently completed training in Psychiatry in the Hunter New England Local Health District, including subspecialty training in Neuropsychiatry with the Neuropsychiatry Service. During this time, he also completed a Master of Public Health at the University of New South Wales.
Dr McDonald has held appointments as a Staff Specialist with the Department of Consultation Liaison Psychiatry at the Wollongong Hospital, where he jointly operated the Neuropsychiatry Clinic and the Hunter Valley Older Persons Mental Health Service. This is in addition to supervising a Traumatic Brain Injury Fellowship within the Departments of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry at the John Hunter Hospital and Neuropsychiatry Service.
Dr McDonald’s clinical interests include: the mental health needs of individuals with intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, genetic disorders, ADHD, brain tumours, post-stroke mental disorders, epilepsy, traumatic and other acquired brain injuries and cognitive disorders.
ENQUIRIES
1800 16 17 18
NSW, VIC & QLD
9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday
(except public holidays)
NT & SA
8:30am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday
(except public holidays)
We will respond to your enquiry within 24 hours
(considering operating times above)
Advice is available regarding all age brackets of patients, including children and young adults
This is NOT a triage or referral service
This is NOT an emergency service
In case of emergency, please ring 000
This service is for GPs only
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