Plastics

From April – August 2022, the Department will contact patients waiting for an outpatient clinic appointment via SMS, with a link to an electronic form. This forms part of a routine audit to ensure patient details are up to date. If you receive this SMS, please update your details.

Assessment and management of injuries, contractures, congenital deformities, lesions and hand injuries/conditions. Hand physiotherapists are available at this clinic.

Availability

North South North West Statewide

Scope

THS Southern and Northern Regions

Plastics clinic is a multidisciplinary clinic for assessment and management of a variety of skin and hand conditions and injuries, and also contractures and congenital deformities.

It does not provide routine skin checks or tattoo removal.

All skin lesions other than (suspected) melanoma should be biopsied prior to referral.

Burns and burn scar management to be referred to Burns

Procedure not routinely performed.

Please refer to the following:

THS North West Region

Refer to General Surgery unless is specialist area such as cleft lip/palate or burns.

Emergency conditions

Patients requiring immediate surgical intervention should be referred to the Emergency Department or discussed with the Plastics Registrar.

Referral process

A referral (preferably faxed) is required for all new appointments and must conform to the Referral Standards as outlined on For Clinicians.

Referrals are registered by the clinic to which they are referred and are triaged according to the specific clinic guidelines.

Refer suspected Melanoma without delay. Please include details of site and size of lesion.

Clinic Appointments - Appointments are based on clinical priority:

Emergency

Proceed to Emergency Department (ED).
LGH ED Reception  – Phone: (03) 6777 6405  Fax: (03) 6777 5201
MCH ED* – Phone: (03) 6478 5120  Fax: (03) 6441 5923
NWRH ED* – Phone: (03) 6493 6351 Fax: (03) 6464 1926
RHH ED Reception – Phone: (03) 6166 6100  Fax: (03) 6173 0489

Advice for medical practitioners can be given by the Medical Officer In Charge (MOIC) - see HealthPathways Tasmania for contact information.
*MCH and NWRH MOICs request GPs call them prior to referring a patient to ensure the patient is being sent appropriately to a safe destination.

Urgent / category 1

Urgent referrals should be accompanied by a phone call to the Plastics Registrar to organise urgent assessment and the referral must be faxed.

We will endeavour to see these patients within four weeks, or sooner if clinically indicated.

Semi-urgent / category 2

We will endeavour to see these patients within 12 weeks

Routine / category 3

Next available appointment

Referral template

For use by health professionals only