Victorian public hospital specialist clinics provide services to non-admitted patients, including specialist medical assessment, consultations pre and post hospital admission and management of medical conditions, including pre and post hospital admission and management of medical conditions, including chronic disease, ante-natal and post natal care.

The Auditor General completed an audit of outpatient services in 2006. The resulting report Access to specialist medical outpatient care (June 2006) highlighted the need for the Department of Human Services to improve strategic planning and performance in relation to outpatient services.

The Access and Metropolitan Performance Branch has responsibility for the implementation of the Specialist Clinics Improvement and Innovation Strategy (SCIIS) and its associated overarching policy framework. The document Victorian public hospital specialist clinics Strategic framework - February 2009 (PDF file 550KB) has been developed to guide specialist clinics reform.

The specialist clinics strategy has been developed within the context of the Metropolitan Health Strategy and the department’s ambulatory care framework Care in your community (January 2006).

The Specialist Clinics Improvement and Innovation Advisory Committee provides advice and make recommendations to the department on priority issues relating to the access of public hospitals to specialist clinic services in Victoria.

Under the guidance of the advisory committee, sub committee have established to guide and coordinate the delivery of the work plan.