A–Z Service Directory

Criteria for Referral

Information is available on HealthPathways Melbourne  for assistance in managing your patient’s condition. This includes what investigations you need to perform prior to referring to a specialist and what information you need to include in the referral.  If you require login access to HealthPathways, contact info@healthpathwaysmelbourne.org.au.

Triage guidelines for referral to Neurosurgery Clinic at Eastern Health

To assist in the referral process, the following conditions are likely to be considered as ’non-urgent’ and returned without appointment.  Essentially, chronic and acute pain conditions consisting predominantly of axial pain symptoms without significant neurological deficits are classified as non-urgent, even in the setting of degenerative imaging findings.

Because of this, the Eastern Health Neurosurgery clinic does not have capacity to see non-urgent patients including:

• Acute axial back pain
• Chronic lower back pain and chronic thoracic pain
• Chronic pain conditions including chronic post-operative pain
• Acute axial neck pain
• Chronic neck pain
• Cervicogenic headaches and occipital neuralgia
• Facet joint arthritis – cervical, thoracic and lumbar
• Disc bulging with minimal neural compression
• Mild canal stenosis without significant neurological compression, neurological deficit or radiculopathy
• Foraminal stenosis without significant neurological compression, neurological deficit or radiculopathy
• Disc degeneration, including multilevel disc degeneration
• Second opinions on spinal surgery
• Workcover and TAC patients with chronic pain and injuries outside 1 year
• Coccyx pain and coccydynia
• Patients seeking disability pension or other compensation
• Adolescent scoliosis

Please note, the above refers only to degenerative pathologies.  Patients who have neoplastic, infective, vascular or traumatic conditions will continue to be triaged and offered appointments.

 Options for further assessment and management of Spinal Pain

• Low Back Pain in adults: pages in HealthPathways Melbourne
• Physiotherapy (consider “Titled” Spinal–trained physio) or Exercise physiologist, privately or through Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) or Community Health Centres in your area
• Back exercise or hydrotherapy programs provided by your local Community Health Services.
• Pain Management Clinics (multi-disciplinary teams approach with Pain physicians, psychologists and physiotherapists)
• See HealthPathways Melbourne –search Chronic or persistent pain referrals
• Psychologists with an interest in Pain Management using a Mental Health Care Plan
• Other musculoskeletal medical specialists (private or public)

• Outpatient clinics at other public neurosurgery, orthopaedic or spinal facilities

• Clinical pilates, yoga, gym programs or osteopathy may benefit your patient