Speech Pathology
Allied Health

Available through
Face to Face
Telehealth
Adult
Paediatric

Urgent Advice

To discuss an urgent referral or gain some urgent advice, please contact the Speech Pathology Department through switchboard 1300 744 284 or our GP Only Enquiry Line 5687 0003.

Are you referring to the right service?

Conditions

Out of Scope Services

The following conditions are out of scope for this service:

Adult Voice and Dysphonia

  • Residential aged care facility residents.
  • Patients who receive Level 3 or 4 Home Care Packages. 
  • Patient with an NDIS package of care which is relevant to an existing disability.
  • For patients who are transgender or gender diverse and wishing to alter their voice, please refer to the Gender Service at Metro North .

Swallowing/Dysphagia

  • Congenital condition causing dysphagia.
  • Oesophageal dysphagia or oesophageal dysmotility in isolation without suspected oropharyngeal dysphagia.
  • Patients with neurodegenerative or other conditions where long term dysphagia management is required (e.g. Motor Neurone Disease, Huntington’s Disease). These patients are more appropriate for the Chronic Disease and Post-Acute Speech Pathology service.

Lee Silverman Voice Treatment Program

  • For patients that present with dysarthria that is not characterised by hypophonia, please refer for communication outpatient services rather than the LSVT service.

Communication

  • Developmental conditions (i.e., Autism Spectrum Disorder, cerebral palsy, intellectual impairment).
  • Conditions unrelated to confirmed or suspected neurological involvement.
  • Patients who reside outside the GCHHS catchment area
  • Patients who reside in high-care residential aged-care facilities
  • Patients who communication difficulties resulting from developmental conditions (i.e., cerebral palsy, intellectual development)
  • Patients who communication difficulties that are unrelated to a confirmed or suspected neurological cause
  • Patients who receive a home care package (level 3 and above) or have an NDIS package and is already receiving, plans to receive or is sufficiently funded to see a speech pathologist offering the same level of services as Gold Coast Health

Regarding NDIS:

Adults who are accessing the NDIS/have NDIS funding are not excluded from this service if they have specific rehabilitation goals.

If their goals are aimed at accessing the community or participating in the community, then their needs will be more appropriately met through a community speech pathologist using their NDIS funding.

Consider reviewing alternative Speech Pathology outpatient/community services if patient does not fit the below criteria.

Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT)/Head & Neck/Laryngectomy

  • Patients who have not undergone head and neck surgery or laryngectomy or tracheostomy.
  • Patients under the care of a private Ear, Nose & Throat or Plastic Surgery or Maxillofacial specialist.

Radiation Oncology

  • Patients who have not had radiation or chemotherapy to the head and neck region. 
  • Patients under the care of a private Radiation Oncologist.

Out of Catchment

Gold Coast Health is responsible for providing public health services to the people who reside within its boundaries. Special consideration is made for patients requiring tertiary services or for services that are not provided by their local hospital and health service district. If your patient lives outside the Gold Coast Health catchment area and you wish to refer them to one of our services, please indicate relevant medical or social information that will assist with the processing of your referral.

Notes

Please note that where appropriate and where available, the referral may be streamed to an associated public allied health and/or nursing service. Access to some specific services may include initial assessment and management by associated allied health and/or nursing, which may either facilitate or negate the need to see the public medical specialist.

  • A change in patient circumstance (such as condition deteriorating or becoming pregnant) may affect the urgency categorisation and should be communicated as soon as possible.
  • Please indicate in the referral if the patient is unable to access mandatory tests or investigations as they incur a cost or are unavailable locally.
  • If your patient consents to telehealth, please indicate in the body of the referral.

Patient Must Bring

  • Medicare card
  • Any concession cards (e.g. Pension, Health Care, DVA, PBS Safety Net, ADF, etc.)
  • Current medication list
  • Reading glasses, hearing and mobility aids
Last updated 4 June 2024

Send Referrals To

Smart Referrals

Preferred Method
About Smart Referrals

Secure Web Transfer

Not Available

Internal Referrals

Fax

(07) 5687 4497

Post

Allied Health Outpatients
Gold Coast University Hospital
1 Hospital Boulevard
Southport QLD 4215

Enquiries

(07) 5687 3027

Service Availability

Facilities

Gold Coast University Hospital
Robina Hospital
Tugun Satellite Hospital

If you would like to send a named referral, please address it to the specialist listed above, who will allocate a suitably qualified specialist to see the patient. Alternatively, you can view a full list of our specialists.

Gold Coast Health - For Clinicians
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