Urgent referrals

For all urgent referral please ensure that you contact the on-call WPRS doctor on 0409 645 660

Urgent referrals include:

1. All open injuries
2. Lacerated tendon, nerves and arteries
3. Open hand fracture
4. Amputations
5. Serious hand infections
6. Compartment syndrome

You will be provided with fasting information for your patient when you contact the on call WPRS doctor.

Once contacted the on-call WPRS doctor will advise and assist with any hospital transferred that are required. Private, Workcover and TAC patient will be transferred to St John of God Hospital Warrnambool and public patient will be transferred to Southwest Healthcare Warrnambool

Please ensure that all injuries have had an x-ray.

For all open injuries please ensure:
1. The wound is cleaned
2. Simply dressing such as jelonet and crepe are appropriate
3. Given antibiotics (either IV or oral)
4. ADT is updated as required
5. Patients are placed in a plaster back slab for comfort

Correct application of plaster back slab

Semi Urgent referrals

All semi-urgent referrals will be contacted directly via WPRS staff within 24 hours to organise an appointment with one of the hand surgeons.

Semi urgent referrals include:

1. Closed hand fractures
2. Closed ligamentous or tendon injuries

Please ensure that all patient have had an x-ray and that hand fractures are placed in a plaster backslab for comfort.

Conditions that may benefit from and be referred directly to hand therapy include:

– Ligamentous injuries
– Finger/wrist pain post injury
– Stiffness and/swelling post injury
– Mallet fingers
– Tendonitis

If you would like to speak to one of our hand therapists directly please call 03 5562 5330.

For non-urgent enquiries please email and we will respond within 24 hours