Specialist Outpatient appointments

Referral to a Specialist Outpatient Clinic can be made by your general practitioner (GP), another medical specialist or a healthcare professional, as well as hospital-based staff in the emergency department, inpatient wards and other areas of the hospital.

For further information on new referrals and services provided, please contact the Wonthaggi & Phillip Island Access Team:

Phone: (03) 5671 3175
Email: access@basscoasthealth.org.au

You will be provided an appointment with the next available specialist you need, this may not always be the specialist you prefer.

Yes, you can choose to have your Outpatient consultation at a specific site if the medical speciality consults from that location. However, please note, requesting a specific location, may increase your appointment wait time.

Bayside Health Regional will provide you with the next available appointment time for the medical speciality at either of our sites.

The Access department will aim to provide you and your referrer information about the outcome of your referral within eight working days.  

The wait-times for each of our services will vary depending on the demand for our services and clinical urgency of your referral.

All referrals are reviewed by our specialist doctors/nurses. Based on the information provided, they determine the clinical urgency of the referral. 

If your referral is classified as 'urgent', we will call you and advise you of an appointment within 30 days or the earliest available date/time.

If your referral is classified as ‘routine’, you will receive a call and/or letter from us with either an appointment date/time or notification to advise you have been added to our service waitlist. Please note, the wait time for our routine appointments can vary depending on the service.  

View state-wide information regarding Specialist Clinic wait times.

Referrals from your GP to a specialist are generally valid for up to 12 months, unless stated otherwise.

Referrals from medical specialists and other consultant physicians are valid for 3 months 

The referral validity period begins from the date you have your first appointment with the Specialist Outpatient Clinic.
 

Specialist Outpatient Services operate via select public hospitals, private clinics, and distinct specialists. Availability and waiting times vary by location. The Department of Health lists available clinics, while the Victorian Agency for Health Information details state-wide estimated wait times.

Your GP can assist you in finding a service tailored to your needs. Private specialist consultations incur out-of-pocket service fees. These charges may not qualify for Medicare rebates, but private health insurance policies can potentially reimburse a portion or the entirety of the cost, depending on your cover.
 

You can ask to be referred to Wonthaggi or Phillip Island Hospitals if the Medical Specialist you saw at a private clinic also works at these hospitals. Bayside Health Regional assigns the next available surgeon and date, so your private consultant may change.

If your specialist is not at Wonthaggi or Phillip Island, get a GP referral to join the clinic waitlist. If your condition worsens, consult your referring doctor for interim treatments and a referral update. For urgent care, call 000 or visit your closest Emergency Department or Urgent Care Centre.

Appointments at our specialist outpatient clinics can occur in person, via telehealth video conference, and telephone call appointments. 
A specialist doctor, allied health professional or nurse will talk to you about your health. Sometimes you might see more than one health professional. They may arrange tests for you or other treatment. 
You can eat or drink before your appointment unless we tell you not to. If attending an appointment in person, please report to the Outpatient reception and let staff know you have arrived.
 

If you need to change or cancel your appointment, please call the Outpatient department, on (03) 5671 3353, between Monday to Friday, 8:30am – 5:00pm.
Notify us immediately to cancel or reschedule so others can use the time. Missing two appointments without notice will result in the cancelling of care, requiring a new referral.
For all other enquiries call the Access Team on (03) 5671 3175 (8:30am–4:30pm). If you need to request extra support please call Outpatients department on (03) 5671 3353 (8:30am–5:00pm).

We can help arrange support in advance, such as:

• You need an interpreter or other cultural support
• You have a disability
• You need help with getting to your appointment
• For information on cultural support available to consumers from an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background

Please bring the following with you to your appointment: 

• Your letter or appointment via phone
• Your Medicare card
• Your Department of Veterans’ Affairs card, Healthcare card, Pension Card (if you have one)
• An up-to-date list of your medications
• Any relevant test results or scans that you have had done in preparation for your appointment (if you have any)
• Your current GP’s Name, address, and phone number
• Your Transport Accident Commission (TAC) or WorkCover claim numbers (if you have one)
• Your Advanced Care Directive (if you have one)
• You can also prepare a list of any questions you want to ask your specialist
• You are welcome to bring a friend, relative, supporter or carer with you to the specialist clinic appointment.

Please let us know in advance if you need an interpreter and we can provide one for your appointment. Bass Coast Health can provide an interpreter service via Language Loop or Telephone Interpreting Service (TIS National).
There is no cost to you if you have a current Medicare card. See here for further information about Interpreter Services.

Telehealth enables you to have appointments with health professionals via a video call to their smartphone, tablet or computer.

Go here for all Telehealth appointments.
 

For details on adresses, transport and parking please see location information for Wonthaggi Hospital and Phillip Island Community Hospital.

Where required, support for travel to and from your non-urgent medical appointments may be provided by our Volunteer Transport for those in need. 
A risk assessment is completed to ensure your safety and the safety of our drivers. It is a requirement that you are able to independently car transfer. Those in need are advised to contact our Volunteer Transport support directly on (03) 5671 3372. 
Bookings are limited, prioritised and it is recommended that requests are made 2 weeks in advance.  

The Victorian Patient Travel Assistance Scheme (VPTAS) is a Victorian Government initiative that helps rural and remote Victorians with travel and accommodation costs when they need to travel more than 100 kilometres to see their closest medical specialist.
Those eligible for support will receive:

• 21 cents per kilometre if a private car is used
• Taxi travel reimbursement - only to or from the nearest public transport when there are no other transport options
• Accommodation assistance may be available up to a maximum of $45 ($49.50 inc GST)
• The scheme has a contribution threshold of $100 for non-concession card holders
• A reimbursement claim form is required to be lodged within 12 months of attending your appointment and may take 6-8 weeks to process.

For further information or questions contact the VPTAS Office:
Phone: 1300 737 073
Email: vptas@dhhs.vic.gov.au

If you have a current Medicare card do not need to pay. If you do not have a Medicare Card or you are an overseas visitor, please tell us as you will need to pay for your appointment.

More information on non-Medicare payment can be found here.

If you are waiting to receive your first appointment date, please contact the Access department, on (03) 5671 3175 to update your information within our patient management systems.
If you have attended your first appointment with the Outpatient clinic, please contact the Outpatient department on (03) 5671 3353 to update your information within our patient management systems.
Please tell us when you attend your next appointment.

If you don’t have a current GP, we encourage you to find one. Specialists deal with a specific aspect of your health for a limited time, while a GP will help you to manage your overall health in the longer term.
A GP will help you to stay well when you either no longer need specialist care or are in-between visits to a specialist and making sure any new health problems or complications are diagnosed and treated as early as possible.
You can use an online service finder to Find a GP (General Practice) near you.

If you have been discharged from a Specialist Outpatient Clinic and your condition has deteriorated and/or you require further specialist care input, please discuss this with your GP or treating doctor.  
Where required, your GP or treating doctor can provide a renewed referral requesting further specialist care input and advise of your current status.  Your renewed referral will be triaged and assessed for urgency.
 

Full details on how to leave comments about your care experience with us can be found on our Feedback page.

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