Specialist care extended for construction workers
An Australian-first clinic for construction industry workers exposed to silica or diagnosed with silicosis, a deadly lung disease, has received a boost in funding that will see it continue for at least another three years.
The Alfred’s Occupational Respiratory Clinic, which operates in partnership with Worksafe Victoria, is the only service of its kind in a public hospital, providing vital support to patients like former stonemason Glenn Turner.
Glenn, 36, was diagnosed with silicosis after undergoing screening at The Alfred in November 2021.
“Getting my diagnosis was devastating, after being in a job I loved for 16 years. It had a big impact on my identity and mental health,” Glenn said.
“Having the support of the teams here at The Alfred and WorkSafe does make a difference, and now I’m working on improving my health and focusing on what I want to do with myself in the future.”
Stonemasons who produce kitchen benchtops are at a particularly high risk of silicosis - a deadly lung disease caused by breathing in tiny dust particles of silica - due to working with engineered stone products which contain a high concentration of crystalline silica.
Lead respiratory physician at the clinic, Dr Ryan Hoy, said the impacts of silicosis on patients are enormous, with potentially life-changing impacts on their ability to continue work along with the development of a range of respiratory symptoms including cough, shortness or breath and chest pain.
"We have diagnosed numerous patients in their 20s and 30s with an entirely preventable lung disease, that has the potential to substantially shorten their lives,” Dr Hoy said.
The clinic provides a range of diagnostic tools and multi-disciplinary specialist services, increasing the chance of early identification while saving time and reducing stress for workers and their families.
“Early identification of silicosis using the Occupational Respiratory Clinic's well developed systems including CT imaging is essential to provide workers the best possible long term outcome” Dr Hoy said.
Since its launch in July 2021, the Alfred clinic has screened over 620 eligible workers for silica-related diseases and continues to support numerous patients with silicosis.
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