GP referrals to specialists: A practical guide for Australian doctors

Writing a referral letter is one of the most common tasks for GPs, and it’s important to get it right.

GP referrals to specialists carry specific Medicare requirements for your patient to claim a rebate. If details are wrong or missing, it can cause an administrative headache for all involved.

Beyond the paperwork, a good quality specialist referral letter plays an important role in supporting your patient to receive the most appropriate care for their individual needs. 

What makes a GP referral valid under Medicare? 

To be valid under the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) rules, a GP referral needs to meet three criteria:

• You've completed a professional consultation with the patient and decided a referral is clinically appropriate;
• You’ve provided all relevant clinical information in a written referral that is signed and dated; and
• The specialist receives the referral before (or at) the patient's first visit under that referral.

Provider numbers and referrals: Why location matters 

For GPs who work across multiple locations, it’s important that any specialist referral letter uses the correct provider number for the location where you saw the patient. 

It’s an easy thing to mix up — but if this detail is wrong, the referral may be invalid. 

How long is a GP referral valid for?

Standard 12-month referrals 

Most GP referrals to specialists are valid for 12 months. This period is calculated from the patient’s first visit with the specialist — not the date the referral was written. 

Indefinite referrals 

If a patient requires ongoing specialist care for a chronic condition, GPs can consider an indefinite referral. This means a new referral is only needed if a new or unrelated condition arises.

However, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) notes that indefinite referrals can disrupt continuity of care, as the patient may not return regularly to the GP for review. In many cases, a referral period of one-to-three years may better support ongoing shared care. 

Allied health referrals

For Medicare-funded allied health services, referrals are valid for 18 months from the patient’s first visit.

Allied health referrals are now made under the new GP Chronic Condition Management Plan (GPCCMP), using standard referral letters. This change was made on 1 July 2025, replacing the previous two-step GP Management Plan (GPMP) and Team Care Arrangement (TCA) system.

Writing a referral letter: Best practices for GPs 

What to include: Clinical information, medications, allergies and purpose

As the RACGP’s Referring to other medical specialists outlines, a good GP referral letter should give the specialist a clear understanding of why the patient is being referred, what has already been investigated and what outcome you're seeking.

In practice, that means including:

• the patient's name, date of birth and contact details;
• your practice contact details and provider number;
• a clear explanation of the purpose of the referral;
• relevant medical history, examination findings and current or previous management;
• current medications, known allergies and adverse drug reactions;
• family history, if clinically relevant;
• whether you’re seeking a one-off investigation, annual review, ongoing specialist management or long-term shared care.

What to leave out: Sensitive information not relevant to the referral

Specialist referral letters should avoid sharing unnecessary sensitive or personal information — for example, sexual or mental health history that isn’t relevant to the condition being investigated.

If sensitive information is clinically relevant, consider discussing with the patient the reasons for including it, and offer them the opportunity to read the letter before it's sent.

Urgent vs routine: Flagging priority clearly 

If a referral is urgent, make that explicitly clear — and briefly explain the reason for the urgency, so the specialist can prioritise appropriately. 

It’s also important to communicate the urgency to the patient, and advise them on what to do if they can’t get an appointment within that timeframe. 

Your medicolegal obligations after referring a patient 

Tracking and following up on referrals

As the Medical Board of Australia’s code of conduct makes clear, GPs retain overall responsibility for a patient’s care after referring to a specialist, and that includes taking reasonable steps to follow up on important results.

While it’s ultimately the patient’s decision whether to attend an appointment, GPs have a duty of care to ensure patients understand why the referral matters, and the risks of delaying or declining it. 

Record-keeping: What to keep and why 

Clear patient records provide medicolegal protection if any questions later arise about the referral. ‘Failure to refer’ can constitute negligence, and good documentation is your best defence.

The RACGP advises that GPs should keep:

• a copy of the referral letter;
• any correspondence with the specialist;
• notes on discussions with the patient about their decision to attend, delay, or decline.

Checklist for a quality GP referral letter

When writing a referral letter, GPs can use the following checklist to ensure best practices.

• Patient’s name, date of birth and up-to-date contact details included.
• Your practice name, contact details and the correct provider number for the consulting location included.
• Purpose of the referral clearly stated.
• Relevant medical history, examination findings and current/previous management included.
• Current medications, known allergies and adverse drug reactions listed.
• Sensitive information screened — only clinically relevant information included.
• Urgency flagged if needed.
• Patient clearly informed of why the referral matters, the recommended timeframe, and next steps.
• Referral sent via secure electronic messaging.
• Copy filed in the patient’s health record.
• Follow-up system in place.