New statewide referral criteria for seven children’s medicine conditions come into effect from 1 December 2026 in all Victorian public hospitals.
Patients can be placed on a specialist clinic wait list when a referring GP provides information showing the referral meets the new criteria.
The criteria identify the information that should be included to assess and direct the patient to the best service available.
The children’s medicine suite joins 22 suites of specialist referral criteria already in existence across Victoria.
Children’s medicine conditions (from 1 December 2026):
- Assessment of asthma management in children
- Assessment of chronic or recurrent abdominal pain in children
- Assessment of the management of epilepsy and seizures in children
- Faltering growth (failure to thrive) in infants
- Headache in children
- Height concerns in children
- Obesity in children
All statewide referral criteria can be found here.
GPs and other primary care providers in the North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network region are encouraged to check HealthPathways Melbourne when making referrals – this will be the quickest way to understand a local public hospital’s requirements. It is also a helpful way to troubleshoot management of these conditions when a referral to specialist clinics is not indicated.
