The service delineation framework for paediatric orthopaedic care in Victoria defines roles and responsibilities for services that offer different levels of paediatric orthopaedic care. This allows for a systematised and integrated approach to providing paediatric orthopaedic services across Victoria.
Each level of care provides specific types of services within the catchment. Level 1 and 2 sites, as well as primary care providers such as general practitioners, make referrals to Level 3-5 sites for specialist care.
- Sunshine Hospital and Geelong Hospital are Level 3 sites.
- Monash Medical Centre is a Level 4 site
- Royal Children’s Hospital is a Level 5 site.
Level 1
Primary care only (emergency care for minor musculoskeletal injuries).
Level 2
Primary and secondary services related to uncomplicated paediatric orthopaedic trauma.
Level 3
Primary, secondary and limited tertiary specialist paediatric orthopaedic services for emergency and general paediatric orthopaedic elective presentations.
Level 4
Comprehensive primary, secondary and tertiary specialist paediatric orthopaedic services for emergency and paediatric orthopaedic elective presentations.
Level 4 services have a statewide role in certain specialised elective orthopaedic procedures in collaboration with Level 5.
Level 5
Full spectrum of primary, secondary and tertiary specialist paediatric orthopaedic services.
Level 5 services have a statewide role for major trauma and low-volume, high-complexity paediatric orthopaedic services, for example:
- scoliosis surgery
- orthopaedic oncology
- managing congenital limb deficiencies.