Statewide Specialist Clinic Referral Criteria

Key dates

From 1 November 2019, all Victorian public hospitals will be expected to assess new adult referrals for select presenting conditions against the statewide referral criteria for ENT, vascular and urology.

An additional three specialties, neurology, gynaecology and gastroenterology will be implemented into Victorian public hospitals from 1 February 2020.

Where to find statewide referral criteria

Referring clinicians will find the statewide referral criteria on all Victorian HealthPathways websites (or equivalent*) or through the official DHHS website.

More pathways in 2020

DHHS is committed to the ongoing development of statewide referral criteria for additional specialties. DHHS are currently in the progress of developing statewide referral criteria for endocrinology, cardiology, rheumatology, ophthalmology and obstetrics, which will be available to primary care from mid-2020.

The statewide referral criteria forms part of the broader specialist clinic reform program led by DHHS.

The role of PHNs

All six Victorian PHNs will support the implementation of statewide specialist clinic referral criteria in primary care. Statewide project management and coordination is provided by VTPHNA to ensure a consistent and coordinated approach. The objectives of this project are:

1. Improve GP confidence and capacity to manage high volume and/or low complexity conditions in the community.
2. Support and participate in the development of consistent statewide referral criteria for public specialist clinics
3. Facilitate general practice and other primary health clinicians to adopt and comply with the statewide referral criteria, where applicable.
4. Improve the quality of referrals from GPs/primary health to acute public specialist clinics.
5. Support GPs and other referring clinicians to navigate their local health system and accurately refer to appropriate health services through the provision of referral pathways.

Key PHN activities include:

• The development and publication of clinical and referral content for the nominated specialities, including the statewide referral criteria, on all Victorian HealthPathways websites or the South Eastern Melbourne online care pathway platform.
• Development of a statewide communication and engagement plan that is implemented locally, to promote and raise awareness of the statewide specialist clinic referral criteria among primary health practitioners.
• Support the development of a statewide specialist clinic referral directory and wait list registry.

PHN mechanisms

• Provider engagement and training
• Clinical support
• Localised care pathways

*or the SEMPHN online care pathways website for GPs in the South Eastern Melbourne PHN catchment.