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At the Beach

PAEDIATRIC ALLERGY

Guidance to improve health now and for the future

Does your child struggle with food allergies, eczema, hay fever or asthma? At Compass Kids Clinic, we understand how overwhelming these conditions can be for both children and parents—endless sleepless nights, flare-ups, and the constant worry of allergic reactions.

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Our multidisciplinary team of doctors, nurses, and dietitian offers a clear path forward. We provide expert, evidence-based, and compassionate care tailored to your child’s unique needs. Our mission is to support you every step of the way, helping your child live a full and healthy life, free from the limitations of their allergies.

With personal and professional experience in managing allergies, our team is dedicated to empowering families, providing not only advanced treatment but also the peace of mind that comes from knowing you’re in safe hands. Let us help your child—and your family—find relief and a brighter future.


Compass Kids Clinic is a branch of Compass Immunology, with the main site at Greenslopes Private Hospital. Our clinic was founded in 2005 and has evolved into the largest collaboration of private allergists and immunologists in Australia. We remain a family owned and managed business.

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Our mission is to empower families to confidently manage their children’s allergic conditions by providing trusted, evidence-based treatments. Through collaboration, education, and compassionate care, we help families overcome challenges, enabling children to live full, healthy lives free from the restrictions of their allergies.


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Our Mission

The doctors consulting at Compass Immunology Clinics are all independent practitioners. They choose to work collaboratively, sharing knowledge and support between each other to ensure they are providing you with the best possible care.

Our Team

Dr Kathryn Heyworth
MBBS FRACGP DCH DIC MSC ALLERGY (London)

Paediatric GP Allergist, Practice Principal

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Dr Kathryn Heyworth is a Paediatric GP Allergist. She has over 16 years of experience in managing childhood allergies.  In her earlier career she worked as a Paediatric General Practitioner and in Children's Emergency medicine at the Mater Children's Hospital, South Brisbane for over a decade.  She holds a Diploma of Child Health and a Masters degree in Allergy Medicine from Imperial College, London. She is the current Australian and NZ Associate Allergists representative to ASCIA and is regularly involved with GP education. Kathryn has a passion for enabling children to achieve their optimal health.

Dr Heyworth sees children from birth to 16 years of age.

Dr David Heyworth-Smith
MBBS (Hons) FRACP FRCPA

Clinical Immunologist and Allergist, Practice Principal

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Dr Heyworth-Smith, Clinical Immunologist and Allergist, commenced private practice at The Greenslopes Private Hospital in 2005. Prior to this David was a Staff Specialist at The Princess Alexandra Hospital and at The Royal Brisbane Hospital. David’s special interests include vasculitis, autoimmune disorders, hereditary angioedema, drug allergy and food allergy.

David sees children over 5 years of age.

Dr Krishanthi Ariyawansa
MBBS, FRACP 

Paediatric Immunologist and Allergist

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Dr Krishanthi Ariyawansa is an Australian trained paediatrician. She completed her basic and advanced training in paediatrics in both regional and metropolitan hospitals across Queensland including Queensland Children’s Hospital. Dr Ariyawansa graduated in Medicine from Kasturba Medical College, Manipal in 2005. Prior to moving to Australia in 2010 she has worked in India and Sri Lanka. Following completion of general paediatric training Dr Ariyawansa has completed 12 months of allergy and immunology training at Queensland Children’s Hospital.

Dr Krishanthi Ariyawansa has many years of experience in paediatrics and provides care to children from neonates to 18 years of age. She has experience in diagnosis and management of children with allergies, autoimmune and immunological conditions. Dr Krishanthi Ariyawansa has special interest in management of food allergies, eczema, asthma, allergic rhinitis, urticaria and angioedema in paediatric patients.

As a mother of 3 children of her own, Dr Krishanthi understands the challenges of parenthood and passionate about caring for children and families with allergic and immunological conditions to support them through their journey.

Dr Krishanthi sees children from birth to 16 years of age.

Dr Alan Nguyen
MBBS (Hons), DCH MMed (Paed), FRACP

Paediatric Immunologist and Allergist

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Dr Alan Nguyen is a passionate Paediatric Allergist and Immunologist who has worked closely with children and families throughout his entire career. He completed his specialist training in internationally renowned hospitals such as The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, Great Ormond Street Hospital in London and, more locally, Queensland Children’s Hospital.

He has published in high-impact factor medical journals, co-authoring with world-leading experts. His practice philosophy is one that focuses on the patient first and foremost combined with up-to-date evidence in order to arrive at the best possible outcomes for your baby, child or adolescent. Having lived with allergies his entire life, he intimately understands the patient experience and this fuels him to treat every patient as if they were his own family. His key areas of clinical interest include paediatric food allergy, eczema, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (hayfever), and asthma.

Dr Nguyen sees children from birth to 16 years of age.

Dr Venetia Whitehead
MBBS FRACGP GRAD CERT ALLERGIC DISEASES

General Practitioner with special interest in allergy

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Dr Venetia Whitehead is a General Practitioner with a special interest in allergy. She has a Graduate Certificate in Allergic Diseases. She is a Fellow of the Royal Australia College of General Practitioners and has worked as a GP in Brisbane for the past eight years caring for adults and children. She has a young family and understands first-hand the challenges of living with allergies.

Dr Whitehead sees children from 0 to 16 years of age.

Dr Kate Bonehill
MBBS, BSc, FRACGP, Grad Cert Allergic Diseases 

GP Allergist

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Dr Kate Bonehill is an experienced General Practitioner with special interest in allergic medicine. Kate has worked in this field, seeing both children and adults, for the last 9 years.

Kate holds a fellowship from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and a Graduate Certificate in Allergic Diseases from The University of Western Sydney, and is an Associate Member of the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology & Allergy.

Kate values effective communication and education and takes a warm, collaborative approach with her patients.

Dr Bonehill sees patients of all ages.

Dr Ursula McCrann
MBBCh (UK), FRACGP, Grad Cert Allergic Diseases

GP Allergist

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Dr Ursula McCrann is an experienced GP Allergist, managing allergic
conditions in both children and adults. She is a Fellow of the Royal College
of GP (FRACGP), earning the ‘Graduate Certificate in Allergic Diseases’ in
2015 from the University of Western Sydney. Previously she worked in
General Practice in the UK and New Zealand, and is happily settled for the
last 12 years with her family in the Sunshine State.

Dr McCrann sees patients from 0 to 50 years of age.

Dr Susan Perel
MBBS BSc FRACP FRCPA

Clinical Immunologist and Allergist

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Dr Susan Perel graduated from medicine (University of Queensland) in 2002. Dr Perel trained as a registrar at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and Greenslopes Private Hospital and completed her specialty training in Clinical Immunology/Allergy and Immunopathology in 2012. She joined Compass Immunology as a specialist in 2013. Dr Perel’s clinical practice encompasses the full spectrum of allergic and immunological disorders. She has a special interest in aeroallergen desensitisation (immunotherapy) for allergic rhinitis and asthma, management of chronic urticaria and angioedema, and investigation and management of drug allergy (including general anaesthetic and antibiotic allergy testing).

Dr Perel sees children aged 5 years and older.

Dr Sophie Willcocks
BMED FRACP 

Paediatric Immunologist and Allergist

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Dr Sophie Willcocks provides care for children of all ages and has expertise in the diagnosis and management of a range of allergic conditions, including food, medication, and insect allergies. She also has an interest in assessing and treating patients with eczema, asthma, allergic rhinitis, and other disorders of the immune system.
Sophie graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine at the University of Newcastle in 2011 and began practicing medicine shortly thereafter. She embarked upon paediatric training in 2014, working at several metropolitan and regional hospitals throughout Queensland. Sophie has since completed subspecialty training in Paediatric Immunology and Allergy at Queensland Children’s Hospital, where she has recently worked at a consultant level. In addition to her fellowship with the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Sophie is an active member of the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy.
As a mother herself, Sophie is passionate about supporting patients and their families to navigate the challenges of living with allergic disease. She loves working with children and experiences great joy in seeing her patients grow and develop into healthy, confident, and thriving adolescents and young adults.

Please note that Dr Willcocks is currently consulting at our Greenslopes site only.

Dr Kim Robertson
MBBS FRACP 

Paediatric Immunologist and Allergist

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Dr Kim Robertson provides care for children of all ages and has expertise in the diagnosis and management of a range of allergic conditions, including food, medication, and insect allergies. She also has an interest in assessing and treating patients with eczema, asthma, allergic rhinitis, and other disorders of the immune system. Kim graduated in Medicine from the University of Queensland in 1998. She undertook the majority of her General Paediatric training at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Brisbane, with an additional year of experience in Ireland. She subsequently embarked on subspecialty training in Paediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology in 2008 and was awarded her fellowship in 2012. Dr Robertson’s areas of interest include the diagnosis and management of paediatric food and insect allergies, eczema, and allergic rhinitis. She performs diagnostic skin prick testing and intradermal testing, as well as oral food challenges and allergen immunotherapy. Kim sees children from birth up to the age of 16 years.

Please note that Dr Robertson is currently consulting at our Greenslopes site only.

Lena James RN
BN, GCEmNurs, PC Allergy Nursing, MNurs

Nurse Practitioner

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Lena is an allergy and eczema nurse practitioner. She has over 9  years’ experience educating and caring for a diverse range of patients at Compass Immunology Clinics and has a special interest in eczema and allergic rhinitis.

Lena is passionate about supporting and empowering her patients to effectively manage their allergy and immunology conditions, involving patients in their individualized and evidence-based care. She works closely with the Allergists and Immunologists at Compass Immunology and can refer patients as required.

Lena works as a Nurse Practitioner at our Mt Gravatt Clinic. A referral is not required to book an appointment with Lena, and Medicare rebates are available.

Jennifer Hearne 
RN and Immunisation for Health Practitioners

Allergy Nurse

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Jennifer joined the Compass team in August 2024 when her family relocated to QLD from Dubbo in Central West NSW. Jennifer started her nursing journey in 2005,  graduated her Bachelor of Nursing and found her start as a registered nurse  in the field of paediatrics for 10 years working in the acute paediatric ward at Dubbo Hospital. When making a change to Primary Healthcare Jennifer discovered a passion for preventative medicine working with General Practitioners and Specialists including Immunologists sparking interest in Allergy and Immunology medicine.

Outside of work Jennifer enjoys family time with her husband and 3 boys exploring new places in the Sunshine State she now calls home.

Meghan Cornfield RN
Bachelor of Nursing, PGCert Advanced nursing practice (Clinical)

Allergy Nurse

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Meghan’s background is in cardiology where she worked at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in Scotland, before leaving the hospital environment and working in primary care, with focus on chronic disease management and palliative care. In this role Meghan worked throughout the city in both clinics and patient’s homes providing care.

During this time Meghan began undertaking her Masters degree in Scotland and graduated with a Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Clinical Nursing Practice before emigrating to Brisbane. Meghan is a keen learner and hopes to undertake further study whilst here is Brisbane.

Outside of work Meghan enjoys swimming, socialising with friends, travelling and exploring the national parks and beaches of Australia and discovering the different cities best coffee spots.

Jillian Dimock
BSc  MNutDiet  PgC PaedNutDiet

Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD).

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Jillian is an Accredited Practising Dietitian and member of ASCIA’s Dietitian executive committee, contributing to the development of ASCIAs Food allergy and intolerance course and new Food allergy Dietitian credentialling course.

Jillian has over 25 years’ experience as a Dietitian in tertiary hospitals and later private practice settings and consults with the early childhood sector in a health promotion role.   She has been part of the Compass team since 2014 and enjoys collaborating with specialists and the nursing team in the allergy space.  Her passion for paediatrics expanded into the food allergy space after her youngest son developed Non IgE mediated cow’s milk protein allergy.

Jillian also works closely with Paediatric Gastroenterologists helping to manage complex food allergic patients, EoE, micronutrient deficiencies, new coeliac diagnoses, disaccharide deficiencies, functional dyspepsia and chronic constipation.

In addition to food allergy Jillian also consults with;

General pediatrics

  • Faltering growth

  • Iron deficiency

  • Fussy eating and problem feeders in collaboration with Speech/Occupational feeding therapists

  • Constipation and encopresis

  • Functional dyspepsia

 

Adults

  • EoE

  • IBS – 75% of patients have symptom improvement on the 4-week low fodmap diet trial, and then are challenged with 6 fodmap types to identify specific triggers to enable diet liberalisation.  Support to move away from diet restriction is key as fodmaps are our major prebiotic source.  Functional gut disorders often need multi-faceted management including clinically proven gut-directed hypnotherapy or psychology, correct fibre-type supplementation and an emerging role for digestive enzymes.  Medical assessment for IBD, coeliac, endometriosis and bowel cancer are recommended prior to diet trial.

  • Food intolerance – short-term (4-6weeks) diet elimination may be indicated, followed by reintroduction IF improvement.  In some cases, the Dietitian’s role is to solely support patients through clear trials to liberalise the diet and avoid further restriction.  Disordered eating is more common in food intolerant patients and where needed referral to an eating disorder team is indicated.

 

Mealtimes, grocery shopping and eating out are not straight forward for many children and families. With differing information available online, in the media and within our social networks, it is often difficult for patients to follow a single plan with confidence.  Jillian’s approach is based on best practice, individual family’s needs and is empathetic and non-judgmental.

No formal referral is needed for patients to book in to see Jillian.  They can either utilise private health extras cover or a GP arranged Chronic health team care arrangement for a Medicare rebate.

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