Statewide Specialist Clinic Referral Criteria – Communications Toolkit

The following key messages apply to all primary health stakeholders and can be modified to complement the medium and target audience to which they are delivered.

• Statewide referral criteria provide referring clinicians clear and consistent guidance about which patients will be seen in specialist clinics within public hospitals across Victoria, and what investigations are necessary to support accurate prioritisation of referrals.
• Clinical Review Panels have recently reviewed criteria that were developed and published between 2018-2020. From 1 November 2022 these updates will be ready for hospitals to implement. Several referral criteria now include reference to ongoing symptoms post-COVID-19. A full list of revised criteria can be accessed on the official Department of Health website: src.health.vic.gov.au/about
• From 1 November 2022 Statewide Referral Criteria for common conditions will be available on all Victorian HealthPathways, or equivalent care pathways websites.
  • • Referrals that do not meet the criteria because they are either not suitable or are missing essential investigations or information, will be declined and returned to the referrer. The referring clinician must resubmit the entire referral again in full. 
    • Patients will not be provided with an appointment or placed on a waiting list unless a complete referral compliant with the statewide referral criteria is received. 
• Statewide referral criteria only apply to adult specialist clinics. 
• Bookmark HealthPathways/DH website on your desktop and review the new statewide specialist clinic referral criteria.