New statewide referral criteria for a range of children’s ear, nose and throat conditions come into effect from 1 November 2025 in all Victorian public hospitals.
Patients can be placed on a specialist clinic wait list when a referring GP provides information that shows the referral meets the new children’s ENT criteria.
The criteria identify the information that should be included in a referral to assess the referral and direct the patient to the best service available.
The Victorian Department of Health has developed and published statewide specialist referral criteria for seven children’s ENT conditions:
- Assessment for recurrent tonsillitis
- Bilateral or asymmetrical hearing loss in children
- Discharging ear in children
- Hoarse voice (dysphonia) in children
- Neck mass
- Recurrent epistaxis
- Sleep disordered breathing
From 1 November the children’s ENT suite will be among 18 suites of specialist referral criteria already in existence across Victoria.
GPs and other primary care providers are encouraged to check their local HealthPathways or care pathways website when making referrals – this will be the quickest way to understand for them to understand their local referral options.
It is also a helpful way to troubleshoot management of these conditions when a referral to specialist clinics is not indicated.