Plastic Surgery Clinic

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.

For conditions listed below, refer to the Statewide Referral Criteria for Specialist Clinics:

• Assessment for breast reconstructive surgery
• Breast reduction surgery
• Carpal tunnel and other nerve compression syndromes
• Dupuytren’s contracture
• Hand fractures and infections
• Melanoma
• Skin lesions and other skin cancers
• Stenosing tenosynovitis including trigger finger

All referrals are triaged and waiting times for non-urgent appointments is several months. Suspected malignancies and trauma patients are given priority. The clinic provides a hand therapy service.

For referrals regarding:

• Breast reduction – Patients with a BMI <30 will be assessed but the waiting list for this procedure is very long.

• Lesions – In order to ensure that we have assessed and triaged the referral of lesions appropriately, could you please organize a biopsy of the area and forward the results to us as soon as possible. This will enable us to ensure your patient is seen in a timely manner in accordance with these biopsy results and further treatment organized promptly as required.

For referral information, including how to refer electronically, see Specialist (Outpatients) Clinics.

Eastern Health Specialist Clinics is trialling a new way to help patients access care sooner through the GP Diversion Program.

For the Plastic Surgery Clinic, patients referred for conditions where a biopsy may be required, has not yet been completed, or cannot be performed in primary care (for example, due to the size or location of the lesion), may be offered the option to receive care from a participating GP clinic instead of waiting for a public hospital specialist clinic appointment.

• Information on estimated non-admitted specialist clinic waiting times can be viewed on the Victorian Agency for Health Information (VAHI) website.

How does it work?

• A GP Diversion Liaison Nurse clinically reviews the referral to assess whether the patient is suitable for diversion (transfer of care) to a participating GP clinic.
• Patients assessed as suitable will be contacted by phone. The GP Diversion Liaison Nurse will explain the process and seek patient consent before proceeding.
• The GP clinic will be notified of the diversion, and relevant health information will be shared to support care.
• Patients will then need to contact the GP clinic directly to arrange an appointment.

 Costs and timing

• Patients are encouraged to ask the GP clinic directly about potential costs and appointment timing before attending.
• Eastern Health does not set or control GP clinic fees, appointment timing, choice of doctor, or how quickly procedures are arranged, and timeframes cannot be guaranteed.

What if I don’t want my referral diverted?

• Patients can choose not to proceed with diversion.
• In this case, the referral will be declined. The referring or nominated GP will need to arrange any required biopsy and submit a new referral, including the results once available.

 Who manages care and what if further care is needed?

• Once diverted, the GP clinic will be responsible for treatment and follow-up, and Eastern Health will no longer manage care for this referral.
• If specialist care is later required, patients can be referred back to Eastern Health (this will be assessed as a new referral).

For questions about the GP Diversion Program, please email: GPDiversion@easternhealth.org.au

If your patient’s condition deteriorates, please send an updated referral via HealthLink SmartForms selecting the Referral Continuation “Amended referral/update previously sent referral” with additional clinical information. 

Emergency cases should be sent to the Emergency Department.