The Central Referral Service (CRS) plays a vital role in Western Australia’s healthcare system by efficiently processing referrals to public metropolitan and select regional specialist outpatient services. This service acts as a central hub, ensuring that referrals are directed to the appropriate specialties and locations, optimizing patient access to specialist care. The CRS handles referrals for a comprehensive range of medical areas, aiming to simplify the referral process for healthcare providers and improve patient pathways.
Specialties Covered by the Central Referral Service
The CRS manages referrals for a wide array of specialties across metropolitan Perth and designated regional areas. These encompass both general and highly specialized medical fields, ensuring a broad spectrum of healthcare needs are addressed.
Metropolitan Specialties:
- Adolescent Medicine
- Anaesthetics (allergy only)
- Bariatric Surgery
- Breast Surgery
- Burns (post injury issues only)
- Cardiology
- Cardiothoracic
- Dermatology
- Direct Access Gastrointestinal Endoscopy*
- Ear, Nose and Throat*
- Endocrinology*
- Gastroenterology
- General Medicine
- General Surgery
- Genetics
- Gerontology
- Gynaecology
- Haematology
- Hepatobiliary
- Hyperbaric Medicine
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
- Interventional Neuroradiology (NIISWA)
- Medical Oncology
- Neonatal
- Nephrology
- Neurology*
- Neurosurgery
- Ophthalmology*
- Oral Maxillofacial Surgery
- Orthopaedics
- Paediatrics
- Pain Management
- Palliative Care
- Plastic Surgery
- Radiation Oncology
- Rehabilitation
- Renal
- Respiratory Medicine
- Rheumatology*
- Spinal Surgery
- Urology*
- Vascular
Regional Specialties:
- South West:
- Endocrinology*
- Gerontology
- Haematology
- Nephrology
- Neurology*
- Paediatrics
- Collie Health Service:
- Direct Access Gastrointestinal Endoscopy*
- General Surgery
- Gynaecology
- Pilbara:
- Cardiology (including diagnostics)
- Dermatology
- Direct Access Gastrointestinal Endoscopy*
- Ear, Nose and Throat*
- Endocrinology*
- General Medicine
- General Surgery
- Gynaecology
- Neurology*
- Paediatric Medicine
- Renal Medicine
- Rheumatology*
- Urology*
- Vascular Surgery
* _Please note: Specialties marked with an asterisk (*) have mandatory Specialty-led Referral Access Criteria (RAC) in place. Referrers should consult the Referral Access Criteria guidelines to ensure compliance._
Who Can Submit Referrals to the Central Referral Service?
The CRS is designed to receive referrals from a range of healthcare professionals who are initiating specialist outpatient care for their patients. Accepted referrers include:
- General Practitioners (GPs)
- Nurse Practitioners
- Doctors from WA Country Health Service (WACHS) public hospitals referring to metropolitan outpatient services
- Private specialists referring to public specialist outpatient services
Please be aware that patients are unable to submit referrals directly to the Central Referral Service. Referrals must be initiated by a healthcare provider.
Ensuring Your Referrals Meet Requirements
To facilitate efficient processing and avoid delays, all referrals submitted to the Central Referral Service are assessed against WA public outpatient referral requirements. This ensures that all necessary information is provided to enable appropriate triage and appointment scheduling.
Referrals that do not contain sufficient information to meet either the Referral Access Criteria (RAC) or the WA public outpatient referral requirements will be returned to the referrer. This request for further information can unfortunately lead to delays in the patient’s access to specialist services.
In situations where the Referral Access Criteria cannot be fully met due to special circumstances, such as financial or geographical barriers, it is important to include these details within the body of the referral. This allows the CRS to consider these factors during the referral process.
How to Send Your Referrals to the CRS
The Central Referral Service offers multiple secure and reliable methods for submitting referrals. Utilizing secure messaging is the preferred approach, ensuring patient information is transmitted safely and efficiently.
Preferred Secure Messaging Methods:
- HealthLink Secure Messaging: Use the EDI:
crefservto submit referrals via HealthLink. - MMEx Secure Messaging: Referrals can be sent via MMEx to the following secure email address: [email protected].
Other Referral Submission Options:
- Fax: Referrals can be faxed to 1300 365 056 (within Australia).
- Post: Mail referrals to the following postal address: GPO Box 2566, St Georges Terrace, WA 6831.
Important Note: Emailed referrals are not accepted by the Central Referral Service due to security and process protocols. Submitting referrals via email will result in the referral being returned to the sender for resubmission through one of the approved methods listed above.
Contacting the Central Referral Service
For any enquiries regarding the Central Referral Service, the referral process, or accepted specialties, please do not hesitate to contact the CRS team.
CRS Contact Details:
- Phone: 1300 551 142 (within Australia)
- Email (for enquiries only): [email protected]
Please remember that the email address is for enquiries only. Do not send referrals via email as they will not be processed and will be returned to the referrer.
By utilizing the Central Referral Service and adhering to the outlined guidelines, healthcare providers can ensure timely and appropriate access to specialist outpatient services for their patients in Western Australia. Using the correct referral methods and providing complete information are key to a smooth and efficient referral process.
