General Information and Alerts for GPs
Changes to Northern Health Eye Service
Northern Health is working to ensure that it can offer timely access to care for patients with confirmed diabetic eye disease. To facilitate this, referrals will no longer be accepted for patients requiring routine diabetic screening. Patients with diabetes should undergo a dilated fundus examination and comprehensive eye test at diagnosis. This can be completed by an Optometrist. Most Northern suburbs optometry services bulkbill consultations but patients should enquire prior to booking if payment is a concern. If the optometrist confirms the presence of diabetic eye disease they or the GP can refer to Northern Health Ophthalmology service. Relevant test results must be included with the referral. If no disease is detected, the patient should be reviewed as per the recommendations of the Optometrist/eye health specialist. The NHMRC guidelines recommend at least every 2 years
Antenatal Service Update
Please be advised that first trimester terminations of pregnancy are not performed at Northern Health. GP's are asked to inform patients of this on behalf of Northern Health and to refer them to an appropriate antenatal service.
Northern Health Diabetes Services
Northern Health is launching its new Northern Health Diabetes Services - Central Intake.
All referrals for Diabetes services are to be directed to:
Northern Health Diabetes Services - Central Intake
Craigieburn Health Service
Fax: 9308 3022
Phone: 8338 3120
To reduce clinical risk and facilitate access, minimum referral information is required.
The Diabetes Referral Fact Sheet is designed to assist you in providing relevant clinical referral information. Non compliant referrals will not be processed.
Northern Health is committed to the delivery of a service which is responsive to the needs of G.P.’s and would appreciate any feedback re this new Central Intake model.
To provide feedback and for further information about Northern Health Diabetes Services email: gpliaison@nh.org.au
MBS (Bulk Bill) Clinic Referrals
All MBS clinic referrals must:
a) be addressed to a specific consultant
b) include the clinic name
c) include the GP provider number
d) include the patient Medicare number
For Consultant names and MBS go to Specialist Clinics listing (click here).
This requirement will apply to most clinics as the majority are MBS.
Streamlining Antenatal Pathology into Northern Health
In my new role as GP Liaison Consultant I have spent some time in Antenatal Clinics at The Northern Hospital and observed that many results can be very difficult to find or seem to go missing somewhere between GP and the hospital. With this in mind it would be very helpful if all investigations requested during a woman’s pregnancy (including booking bloods) could be ordered with a request for ‘Copy to ANC, TNH’. Northern Health will be requiring its consultants to cc shared care GP’s into all tests ordered in its clinics. Obviously the clinical responsibility remains with the Doctor who ordered the test but hopefully this will reduce the need to repeat tests unnecessarily. Thank you so much for your ongoing cooperation as we aim to improve patient care. Dr Mary Thomas - GP Consultant - Northern Health GP Liaison
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