The Barwon Health Eating Disorders Service Medical Consultation Clinic (MCC) is a public, paediatrician-led, medical review clinic for children and young people with an eating disorder within the Barwon South West region.
The service endeavours to provide diagnostic clarification of the eating disorder, exclusion of differential diagnoses, identification and suggested management of comorbidities, consequences of malnutrition and advice on broader management plans.
The service operates under a shared care model, where all patients will have a GP who has agreed to be the ongoing primary provider. The GP will have ongoing access to support and advice from the MCC clinic team after the patient has been discharged and may re-refer as needed.
Conditions seen
Barwon Health Eating Disorder Medical Consultation Clinic accepts referrals for children and young people, aged under 18 years:
- with a suspected or diagnosed eating disorder, which may include Anorexia nervosa and Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID).
- who are adequately supported by primary care (their GP) +/- eating disorder allied health clinicians.
- who reside within the Barwon South West region.
Conditions not seen
Barwon Health paediatric clinics do not accept referrals for the following:
- Ongoing case management for children and young people.
- Patients requiring broader eating disorder multidisciplinary evaluation and management, including mental health and allied health. These patients should be referred to the Barwon Health Eating Disorders Service.
How do I access this service?
To be seen in this specialist clinic you need to be referred by your GP, another specialist doctor or your Barwon Health doctor.
We are unable to see you in this clinic without a referral.
Appointment timeframe
All requests for specialist clinic appointments are scheduled according to the patient’s clinical need. Clinicians assess whether an appointment is urgent or routine, based on information provided in the referral.
Barwon Health aims to offer a first appointment within 30 days to all patients with urgent problems. Patients with routine (non-urgent) problems are offered appointments as they become available.
The estimated waiting time for routine (non-urgent) first appointments is listed below as a general guide. This waiting time is reviewed and updated regularly.
For Health Professionals
State-referral criteria may apply for conditions under this specialty requiring further assessment and management. Referring clinicians are encouraged to utilise Western Victoria Community HealthPathways for referral guidelines and requirements for all conditions.
For urgent referral advice, please contact the on-call paediatrician via Barwon Health switchboard on 03 4215 0000.
Complete this Eating Disorders MCC referral form.
- External referrers: send via Fax: 03 4215 8295.
- Internal Barwon Health referrers: may send via internal email (search Mental Health EDS Administration in Barwon Health Outlook address book to locate correct email address).
For patients who require reassessment, a new referral should be sent through. To facilitate earlier access, the new referral must contain the following information:
- State the referral is an update for a current patient
- Date of original referral
- Reason for requesting a review of referral (e.g. deterioration in clinical condition, pathology)
The referrer will be notified of the outcome of the re-triage process.
GPs or referring doctors wishing to discuss the triage of their patient’s referral, or who require additional information, please call Barwon Health Switchboard on 03 4215 0000 and request Non-urgent Paediatric advice. If the call cannot be answered, further instructions are provided via voicemail. If GPs still have concerns, please follow the procedures for requesting Urgent advice if this is required, or for Escalation/Reassessment if this is required.
Page last updated: July 20, 2026