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Psychiatrists
Dr Ananth Pullela
Consultant Psychiatrist
Dr Pullela is an International Senior Consultant Adult General and Forensic Psychiatrist. He is also a Psychoneuropharmacologist and, a Medico-Legal Expert with a Worldwide experience of well over 40 years to date, from Asia, Africa, Europe, South America and Australasia. Currently, he is working as a Medical Director, at Clinical Services, Mid North coast MHS, NSW Health.
Dr Pullela holds qualifications in Psychiatry as a Fellow of the Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Psychiatrists and also as a Member of the Irish College of Psychiatrists,
Ireland. He holds additional qualifications in psych neuropharmacology such as a
Master’s in Psychopharmacology (USA), a Diploma in Psychopharmacology (UK),
a Diploma in Alcohol & Drug Addiction Studies (UK) and Certificate of Achievement in ADHD, Kings College, London, UK.
In addition, Dr Pullela has extensive experience in the Medico-legal assessment & management of clients with ADHD and issues of Crime and in providing medico-legal reports to the Courts, Department of Veterans Affairs, Personal Injury Commission, and any Statutory Legal Organizations.
Dr Eileen Vuong
Consultant Psychiatrist
Her clinical areas of expertise and interest include women’s mental health (pregnancy and postpartum mental illness, premenstrual disorders, fertility difficulties, miscarriage grief, perimenopausal mood disorders); trauma-related disorders (Acute stress and post-traumatic stress disorders), depression and bipolar disorders, Anxiety and OCD-related disorders.
Dr Vuong has worked in the public, private and academic sector in South Africa, New Zealand and Australia- providing care to culturally, ethnically, and socio-economically diverse patient groups. She has published in several international journals, book chapters and presented her research at international congresses. She completed a PhD in 2022 examining the role of a biomarker in predicting the onset of post-traumatic stress disorder and cardiometabolic disease in a large cohort of female rape survivors. She is an Honorary Lecturer at the University of New South Wales and provides teaching to medical students.
Dr Vuong accepts referrals for general psychiatry and ADHD assessments* (*only if the patient has an existing diagnosis of ADHD and/ has completed psychometric testing with a clinical psychologist).
Dr Vuong also provides transitional care for new immigrants/ expats/ individuals on temporary/ work/ study visas who require continuation of existing/established psychiatric treatment whilst residing in Australia.
Dr Mohammad Faizal
Consultant Psychiatrist
Dr Faizal is a Fellow of the Royal College of psychiatrists, United Kingdom, and Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. He has worked in psychiatry for over 20 years. He worked as a Clinical Director for Addictions in the UK and is currently working as a Clinical Director for adult services in Australia. He has experience working in a range of specialties including Adult Psychiatry, Addictions and Forensic Psychiatry.
Dr Faizal is a General Adult and Addictions Psychiatrist with expertise in treating psychiatric disorders affecting adults of all ages. His clinical expertise includes disorders such as depression, anxiety, psychosis, bipolar disorder, OCD, PTSD, alcohol and drug misuse, adult ADHD, and perinatal disorders
Doctor Faizal has worked with patients experiencing psychiatric sequel of brain injury and neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, and late-stage dementia. He has also worked with patients with autism spectrum disorders.
He has published in international journals in areas such as Addictions and Mood Disorders. He is passionate about timely and safe access to care for patients and has won many Clinical Excellence awards for patient-centred care when he was developing services in the UK. After two decades of work in the public sector, he now provides services for private patients.
Dr Steven Hook
Consultant Psychiatrist
MBBS (Sydney), FRANZCP
Dr Stephen Hook has been in private practice adult psychiatry for over 25 years, working in a wide variety of clinical settings. Whilst he has assisted patients with the full range of mental health difficulties, he now specializes in Adult ADHD. He has a low-key but engaging style, aiming to make the assessment informative and useful for his patients. His treatment approach is practical and evidence-based but he also recognizes the need to customize treatment according to the patient’s situation and priorities.
Paediatricians
Dr Yasoja Chamilka Edirisinghe
Consultant Paediatrician
Dr. Chamilka is a general paediatrician with more than 20-year experience in all aspects of Paediatrics (newborns to adolescents) with a special interest in,
Behavioural problems (Autism, ADHD, other challenging behaviours) Developmental problems (Developmental delay, Learning difficulties) Management and coordination of care for children with chronic illnesses or complex needs.
She has worked in Sri Lanka, UK and Australia in clinical paediatrics, research and medical education. Her work ethic focuses on building the bond of trust with parents and children to ensure a long-term, fruitful medical relationship.
General Practicioner
Dr Hiran Edirisinghe
General Practitioner
Dr. Hiran Edirisinghe is an experienced specialist general practitioner with over 20 years of expertise across a wide range of medical disciplines. He graduated from the University of Queensland and has worked at several major tertiary hospitals in both Brisbane and Melbourne. Dr. Edi holds the academic title of Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland.
In his past roles, Dr. Edirisinghe has worked at The Mosman Practice and Brionte Medical Centre in New South Wales. He has a special interest in psychiatry, focusing on both child and adult mental health. Dr. Edirisinghe has also served as a Visiting Medical Officer (VMO) at The Melbourne Clinic, Australia’s largest private psychiatric facility, for over 15 years.
Definition
What is ADHD?
ADHD is not a ‘new and fashionable’ condition. ADHD-like symptoms have been reported in the medical literature over the past 200 years.
ADHD is ‘a neuro-developmental disorder, with an extraordinarily strong genetic component, which clinically manifests itself through its core, executive symptoms that stem from a Pre-Frontal Cortex (PFC) and subcortical brain structures dysfunction, probably due to a decreased Dopamine and Norepinephrine activity in these brain regions’ (Caetano, 2021).
Symptoms
The core symptoms of ADHD are difficulties relating to:
- Attention/Concentration
- Reading and Writing
- Short-term memory
- Planning and Organisation
- Time management
- Procrastination
- Impulsivity and Hyperactivity
- Emotional dysregulation
Process
Multidimensional diagnosis
At the ADHD Centre we conduct a multidimensional diagnosis, which encompasses:
- Past/current ADHD core symptoms and ADHD-related symptoms (e.g., anxiety, decreased motivation, emotional dysregulation) and symptoms stemming from co-morbidity with other independent conditions, e.g., Bipolar disorder, OCD, Panic
disorder, Gambling disorder - Past/current personal history
- Past/current academic history
- Past/current professional history
- Family history (ADHD and other conditions)
- Previous/current treatment attempts
- Adult ADHD Self-Report Symptoms Scale
Approach
Treatment for ADHD
Treatment for ADHD is straightforward once properly diagnosed. In most cases, it is a matter of choosing methylphenidate or dexamphetamine in the right dose for the patient, i.e., the dosage that yields the best results with the minimum side effects. Very few patients do not respond or tolerate these drugs. In these few instances, we have other alternatives for treatment.
When there is one or more independent, co-morbid conditions (e.g., bipolar disorder, OCD, Panic disorder, Personality disorder), these conditions usually require treatment on their own merit.
