Department of Health
A patient consults with their GP

Children's orthopaedic

Statewide referral criteria

Statewide referral criteria for referrals to public hospital orthopaedic services for children

Conditions

Back trauma in children

Criteria for referring children with back trauma to an emergency department in a Victorian public hospital

Assessment of atraumatic back and spine conditions in children

Criteria for referring children for assessment of atraumatic back and spine conditions to an orthopaedics service in a Victorian public hospital.

Foot and ankle trauma in children

Criteria for referring children with foot and ankle trauma to an orthopaedics service in a Victorian public hospital.

Assessment of non-traumatic foot and ankle conditions in children

Criteria for referring children for assessment of non-traumatic foot and ankle conditions to an orthopaedics service in a Victorian public hospital.

Knee trauma in children

Criteria for referring children with knee trauma to an orthopaedics service in a Victorian public hospital.

Assessment of atraumatic knee conditions in children

Criteria for referring children for assessment of atraumatic knee conditions to an orthopaedics service in a Victorian public hospital.

Clavicle and shoulder trauma in children

Criteria for referring children with clavicle and shoulder trauma to an orthopaedics service in a Victorian public hospital.

Hip trauma in children

Criteria for referring children with hip trauma to an emergency department in a Victorian public hospital.

Assessment of atraumatic hip conditions in children

Criteria for referring children for assessment of atraumatic hip conditions to an orthopaedics service in a Victorian public hospital.

Assessment of atraumatic shoulder conditions in children

Criteria for referring children for assessment of atraumatic shoulder conditions to an orthopaedics service in a Victorian public hospital.

Upper limb and hand trauma in children

Criteria for referring children with upper limb and hand trauma to an orthopaedics service in a Victorian public hospital.

Suspected or confirmed bone or soft-tissue tumour in children

Criteria for referring children with suspected or confirmed bone or soft-tissue tumour to the Royal Children’s Hospital’s musculoskeletal tumour service.

Reviewed 07 October 2025

Statewide Referral Criteria

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