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Feeding/Swallowing
Copied from the official Gold Coast Health condition page (27 Aug 2026). Hospital triage assigns the official category. Live source: Refer Your Patient — Feeding/Swallowing.
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Cat 1 · 30 days
appointment within 30 calendar days. Immediate appointment in outpatients is recommended for:
- Infant or child with feeding/swallowing problem and:
- Failure of immediate treatment would result in significant morbidity.
- Severe malnutrition (z score > -3).
- Reported swallowing difficulties e.g. coughing, choking.
- Suspected aspiration pneumonia
- Not managing oral secretions.
Appointment within 7 days is recommended for:
- Infant or child with feeding/swallowing problem and:
- Suspected pharyngeal phase swallowing difficulties with recurrent chest infections, chronic cough.
- Discharged from NCU with respiratory support, at high risk of aspiration and feeding aversion/slow growth.
- Discharged from a GCUH inpatient unit with limited assessment +/- not assessed prior to discharge.
- Reduced oral feeding with faltering growth who are not receiving enteral feeding
- At risk of hospital admission if not seen within 7 days.
Appointment within 30 days is recommended for:
- Infant or child with feeding/swallowing problem with prioritisation based on age:
- Discharged from a GCUH inpatient unit and requires ongoing assessment and intervention related to their feeding/swallowing difficulties.
- NGT feeding and requires ongoing assessment and intervention.
- VFSS referral.
- Initiation of a tube weaning program < 2 years.
- Child with tracheostomy requiring swallowing review.
- Identified as a high-risk patient group e.g. GI disorders, facial palsy, VPI, preterm (<34 weeks GA).
- Delayed skills with suck feeding (<12months) e.g. lengthy feed times (>30mins), poor latch.
- Oral phase difficulties only <18 months of age:
- Delayed oromotor skills impacting upon ability to each age- appropriate foods.
- Significant delay in establishing solids.
- Food selectivity accepting <10 foods
Cat 2 · 90 days
appointment within 90 calendar days. - Delayed oral-motor skills impacting upon child’s ability to eat age- appropriate foods > 18 months.
- Initiation of a tube weaning program > 2 years.
- Feeding disorders + PEG.
- Food selectivity accepting 10-20 foods.
Cat 3 · 365 days
appointment within 365 calendar days. - Food selectivity accepting 20-30 foods from variety of food types.
- Delayed oral-motor skills, sensory processing difficulties and/or behavioural issues aged > 2 years.
- Maintaining weight/no growth concerns.
- Long-term total or partial tube dependency.
Essential referral information
Referral will be returned without this. If a mandatory test cannot be obtained, say so in the referral.
- Clear reason for referral
- History / Duration of symptoms/condition
- Medical and social history and list of medications
- Results of relevant medical assessments/investigations/management of condition
- Next of kin details
If a specific test result cannot be obtained due to access, financial, religious, cultural or consent reasons a clinical override may be requested. This reason must be clearly articulated in the body of the referral.
Out of scope / wrong door
The following conditions are out of scope for this service:
Adult
Adult Voice and Dysphonia
- Residential aged care facility residents.
- Patients who receive Level 3 or 4 Home Care Packages.
- Patient with an NDIS package of care which is relevant to an existing disability.
- For patients who are transgender or gender diverse and wishing to alter their voice, please refer to the Gender Service at Metro North. [https://metronorth.health.qld.gov.au/specialist_service/refer-your-patient/gender-services]
Swallowing/Dysphagia
- Congenital condition causing dysphagia.
- Oesophageal dysphagia or oesophageal dysmotility in isolation without suspected oropharyngeal dysphagia.
- Patients with neurodegenerative or other conditions where long term dysphagia management is required (e.g. Motor Neurone Disease, Huntington’s Disease). These patients are more appropriate for the Chronic Disease and Post-Acute Speech Pathology service.
Lee Silverman Voice Treatment Program
- For patients that present with dysarthria that is not characterised by hypophonia, please refer for communication outpatient services rather than the LSVT service.
Communication
- Developmental conditions (i.e., Autism Spectrum Disorder, cerebral palsy, intellectual impairment).
- Conditions unrelated to confirmed or suspected neurological involvement.
- Patients who reside outside the GCHHS catchment area
- Patients who reside in high-care residential aged-care facilities
- Patients who communication difficulties resulting from developmental conditions (i.e., cerebral palsy, intellectual development)
- Patients who communication difficulties that are unrelated to a confirmed or suspected neurological cause
- Patients who receive a home care package (level 3 and above) or have an NDIS package and is already receiving, plans to receive or is sufficiently funded to see a speech pathologist offering the same level of services as Gold Coast Health
Regarding NDIS:
Adults who are accessing the NDIS/have NDIS funding are not excluded from this service if they have specific rehabilitation goals.
If their goals are aimed at accessing the community or participating in the community, then their needs will be more appropriately met through a community speech pathologist using their NDIS funding.
Consider reviewing alternative Speech Pathology outpatient/community services if patient does not fit the below criteria.
Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT)/Head & Neck/Laryngectomy
- Patients who have not undergone head and neck surgery or laryngectomy or tracheostomy.
- Patients under the care of a private Ear, Nose & Throat or Plastic Surgery or Maxillofacial specialist.
Radiation Oncology
- Patients who have not had radiation or chemotherapy to the head and neck region.
- Patients under the care of a private Radiation Oncologist.
Paediatric
- Infants/children who are eligible to receive another service in the community or at Queensland Children’s Hospital including:
- GCHHS Child Development Service- Mealtime clinic, Speech Pathology or multidisciplinary services
- National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)/ECEI services
- Education Queensland Speech Pathology services
Feeding and Swallowing
- Velopharyngeal insufficiency.
Communication
- Communication deficits associated with cleft lip/palate, velopharyngeal insufficiency, cochlear implant/hearing impairment.
Parent service: Speech Pathology
Send outpatient referrals to
- Smart Referrals preferred (Best Practice or Medical Director)
- Medical Objects GQ42150009Z (lookup qh → QHEALTH, GOLD COAST HEALTH OUTPATIENT)
- HealthLink EDI Qldgchsd
- Fax (07) 5687 4497 — Booking and Referral Centre
- Post: Booking and Referral Centre, Gold Coast University Hospital, 1 Hospital Boulevard, Southport QLD 4215
- Clinic enquiries 1300 559 083
How to refer — full order
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