The Women’s now accepts referrals by email, in addition to fax.
This change has been made in response to increasing issues with fax reliability in the community (due to ageing technology and NBN disruptions), and to accommodate clinics that no longer use fax at all.
We are continuing to work towards implementation of an eReferral system across the Parkville Precinct.
Where to send referrals
Via Email: referrals@thewomens.org.au
Via Fax: (03) 8345 3036
All referrals, whether emailed or faxed, are centrally processed by our Access Centre.
What to include
Please ensure your referral contains all information required for triage, including:
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Relevant clinical details and history.
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Contact details for the referring clinician.
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Language spoken (including if English).
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Interpreter required (yes/no).
Referrers are responsible for obtaining informed patient consent to share sensitive, personal, and health information with the Women’s.
Following triage, referrals may be redirected to another public health service if more appropriate. If your patient does not consent to this, please clearly state that in your referral.
To improve cybersecurity and delivery success:
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Add this address to your clinical software: referrals@thewomens.org.au.
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Send directly from your clinical software to enable SSL/TLS encryption (check with your software provider if unsure).
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Refer to the Australian Digital Health Agency for more on secure messaging standards.
Subject line format:
SURNAME_DoB (e.g. CITIZEN_01/01/1970)
Urgent referrals:
If your referral is clinically urgent (e.g. Early Pregnancy Assessment Service, malignancy concerns, abortion care), please:
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Mark the email as High Priority/High Importance.
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Begin the subject line with URGENT.
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Only mark as urgent when clinically necessary.
Avoid:
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Password-protected files.
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One-time access codes or links.
If you are a GP and have not received confirmation (acceptance or decline) of your referral within 1-2 weeks, contact our Access Centre (GP use only):
(03) 8345 2058 - Option 2
Referral templates
The use of templates is encouraged to ensure complete and accurate referral information.
Related information
Downloads and Related Topics
Date reviewed: 04 July 2025
Date reviewed: 04 July 2025