The Health Professional Advisory Unit (HPAU) 008-03160010

The referrer must ensure their branch/division authorises them to make a referral to the HPAU. Prior to referral to the HPAU, the referrer must ensure all of the available medical information from all existing resources has been accessed, or every effort has been made to access this information.

For Assessment Services Branch, Assessors must obtain clearance from an Assistant Director or Director prior to any referrals to HPAU.

For referrals to HPAU after a Disability Medical Assessment (DMA), Disability Processing staff must seek clearance from the GCD Contract Management Team prior to referral.

Has relevant information been accessed, or every effort been made to access this information?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, all existing avenues must be utilised prior to contacting the HPAU. Procedure ends here

The HPAU may be contacted by web form, email or telephone. For contact details, see Health Professional Advisory Unit (HPAU).

The Resources page contains a link to the HPAU email referral template.

HPAU staff will determine if the referral is appropriate. If referral is appropriate the referral will be allocated to a HPAU Health Professional.

The HPAU Health Professional will access the relevant customer Medical Information File Envelope (MIFE) and may discuss circumstances with the referring officer.

The HPAU will determine if enough information has been provided by the treating doctor(s)/specialist(s) for the HPAU Health Professional to assist the referring organisation.

• If enough information has been provided, go to Step 5
• If insufficient information is provided, go to Step 4

Where the HPAU Health Professional determines a need to contact an external health professional to obtain a verbal or written report to help answer the referral query, attempt(s) will be made. Note: this contact may not be with the original treating doctor/specialist etc.

Has enough information now been provided by the treating doctor(s)/specialist(s)?

• Yes, the HPAU will provide advice to the referrer. Go to Step 5
• No, go to Step 6

The HPAU will provide the referrer with written advice which is scanned to the customer's electronic Medical Information File Envelope (eMIFE) using the code UNSHPAU.

Referring officer will:

Document the discussion with the HPAU Health Professional in the relevant Online Document Record (ODR) and complete existing processes to finalise the assessment.

The HPAU will:

Document and finalise the referral in the HPAU database. Any information received through the course of the referral, for example medical reports, will be electronically scanned and placed on the customer's MIFE.

Procedure ends here.

Referrer and the HPAU:

• HPAU formulates opinion based on all available information
• referrer considers HPAU advice