A GP says he will not comply with hospitals’ demands for him to write named referrals for his patients to attend specialist clinics, but will attach extracts from the National Health Reform Agreement as a stand against the alleged Medicare rort. 

Last Thursday, Western Health in Melbourne sent letters to local GPs warning that any unnamed referrals would be rejected by Sunshine Hospital, Footscray Hospital, Williamstown Hospital and Bacchus Marsh Hospital. 

“From Wednesday 1 June, referrals will only be accepted by Western Health if your letter is correctly addressed to the appropriate head of unit [at specialist clinics],” the letter said.

“This change is a requirement of both Medicare and the Commonwealth Government, which better aligns Western Health with other health service providers across the country.”