Conditions seen

Barwon Health offers a speech pathology service for the following conditions:

  • Dysphagia Clinic: Swallowing assessment and management of swallowing disorders in adults, and children 14 years and older.
  • Voice and Laryngology: Voice and upper/middle airway assessment and management, including voice disorders, chronic cough and inducible laryngeal obstruction in adults, and children 14 years and older.
  • Gender Affirming Voice Clinic: Gender affirming voice therapy for gender diverse adults.
  • Paediatric Feeding Clinic: Feeding assessment and support for infants with complex swallowing or feeding disorders related to a medical condition.
  • Videofluroscopic Swallow Study Clinic: Instrumental evaluation of swallowing for children, adolescents and adults.
  • Nasendoscopy Clinic: Instrumental evaluation of voice and swallowing via flexible nasendoscopy (FEES / EEL).
  • Andrew Love Cancer Centre: Assessment and management of swallowing and communication during and associated with cancer treatment.

Conditions not seen

Barwon Health only accepts referrals for the above conditions.

For information regarding other Speech Pathology services available within Barwon Health please refer to the following pages:

How do I access this service?

To be seen in this specialist clinic you need a referral. you need to be referred by your GP, another specialist doctor, or your Barwon Health doctor.

We are unable to see you in our clinics without a referral.

Wait time

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 see all ‘urgent’ referrals within 30 days. Our wait times for patients who are categorised as ‘routine’ are more variable, depending on the demand for our services.

The Victorian Agency for Health Information also publishes information about the waiting time for routine first appointments.

Routine first appointments | Victorian Agency for Health Information (see Allied Health waiting time).

Speciality
Projected wait time

No Wait times to show

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 Allied Health Office on 03 4215 0826.

Complete the specialist clinics referral template and send via:

  • ReferralNet
  • Fax: 03 4215 0833

To support timely assessment, please include relevant requests for specialised assessment, such as nasendoscopy and videofluoroscopy.

Please complete the referral on your practice/health service letterhead, ensuring all required referral information is included.

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 clinicians wishing to discuss the triage of their patient’s referral, or who require additional information, please ring the Allied Health Office on 03 4215 0826. 

Page last updated: September 10, 2025