Paediatrics

Western Health provides specialist paediatric care for infants, children and adolescents through our hospital and community health services.

Our goal is to support children’s health, development and wellbeing in partnership with families, GPs and community providers.

We offer hospital-based clinics, allied health programs and outreach services tailored to the needs of children across Melbourne’s west and regional areas.
 

Paediatric medical clinics

Our paediatricians assess and manage children with:

• developmental concerns
• behavioural issues
• growth or nutritional challenges
• continence and toileting issues
• neurological or sleep problems
• chronic or complex medical conditions
• concerns related to premature birth or early infancy.
   

Clinics are available at:

• Sunshine Hospital
• Footscray Hospital
• Williamstown Hospital
• Bacchus Marsh
• Melton.
   

Some paediatricians also consult at partner sites in regional Victoria.

Specialist clinics may be bulk-billed or partially funded, depending on referral pathway and eligibility.
 

Allied health services for children

Western Health also provides paediatric allied health services to support children’s development and participation in everyday life.

Services include:

• speech pathology
• physiotherapy
• occupational therapy
• dietetics
• social work
• psychology
• audiology (at selected sites).
   

Therapy may be delivered in individual sessions or small group programs. We support children with developmental delay, disability, autism, sensory needs, physical conditions, feeding issues and more.

Family-centred care is central to all our allied health programs.
 

Community-based paediatric programs

At Bacchus Marsh and Melton, we offer allied health services and medical outreach for children aged 0–12.

Programs include:

• early intervention
• school-readiness programs
• paediatrician outreach in local schools
• group programs for parents and carers
• coordination with NDIS and local supports.
   

We also support vulnerable families with care planning and access to wraparound services.

Children’s services at Western Health require a referral from either:

• a GP or paediatrician
• maternal and child health nurse
• other health or education professional (in some programs).
   

To refer a child to a medical clinic or allied health program, include:

• child’s name, date of birth and Medicare number
• reason for referral
• relevant developmental, behavioural or medical history
• reports from other services (if available).
   

For more information, please see the Allied Health Referral Guidelines page. Some services have eligibility criteria or waitlists.