Paediatricians & Child Health

When a GP refers to a paediatrician

GPs manage most routine childhood illness directly and refer to a paediatrician for things that need a specialist’s assessment: developmental or growth concerns, recurring illness that hasn’t resolved with standard treatment, or conditions that need ongoing specialist monitoring. Some families also see a paediatrician for a general developmental check at a parent’s or GP’s request, without an acute problem prompting it.

Referral and Medicare rules

A GP referral to a paediatrician lasts 12 months by default and can be written for longer, or indefinitely, where a child has an ongoing condition needing continued specialist care. Without a referral, you can still book privately, but there is no Medicare rebate for that visit. As with adult specialists, most paediatricians bill privately with a gap between their fee and the Medicare rebate; the public hospital outpatient pathway is a no-cost alternative with longer wait times.

What to bring

Bring the referral, your child’s Medicare card, and their personal health record (the "blue book" or state equivalent) if you have one, since it holds growth charts and immunisation history a paediatrician will want to see. Bring a clear, written account of the specific concern and how long it has been present — paediatric appointments often cover a lot of ground in a short time, and having this ready in advance helps.

Allied health support

Where a paediatrician identifies a need for speech therapy, occupational therapy or physiotherapy, your GP can prepare a Chronic Condition Management Plan giving access to Medicare-rebated allied health visits — up to 5 individual services per calendar year across all allied health combined, more for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. This is a shared cap across every allied health provider your child sees, not 5 visits per provider.

Questions worth asking

• What is the out-of-pocket cost for the initial consultation?
• Will you need to see my child again, and how often?
• Do you also work through a public hospital clinic?
• Should I request an EPC referral for any therapy you recommend?
• How should I contact you between appointments if something changes?