Antenatal Clinic

Who should be referred to EPAS:

• First trimester referrals only.

• Women in the first trimester who have had a positive pregnancy test and one or more of the following:
  • Vaginal bleeding
  • Abdominal / pelvic pain thought to be pregnancy related
  • Previous ectopic pregnancy or tubal surgery
  • Intrauterine Contraceptive Device in situ with unsited pregnancy
  • Suspected or confirmed miscarriage seeking management advice
  • Retained products of conception after pregnancy loss <20 weeks’ gestation (post-natal retained products to be referred to Emergency Centre of local maternity service)
  • Monitoring of pregnancies of unknown location

  • Clinically stable suspected ectopic pregnancy

• The woman’s condition should be assessed before the referral and must be STABLE enough not to warrant immediate medical attention. In those cases where URGENT medical attention is required, please refer to the nearest HOSPITAL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT.

Who should not be referred:

• Women with early pregnancy problems such as hyperemesis.

• Hemodynamically unstable patients, e.g., actively miscarrying or suspected ruptured ectopic.

• Gestation greater than 14 weeks – refer to the emergency centre at local maternity.

Important Information:

• EPAS does NOT provide dating scans or first-trimester screens in healthy women. Patients requesting routine scans can be referred to the Ultrasound Department (Tel: 08 9400 9937 or Fax: 08 9400 9382). An ultrasound request form should also be completed. Please note that all routine scans incur a fee.

• EPAS does NOT provide referrals to the antenatal clinic.

• Women under 20 weeks pregnant who require URGENT review should be referred to the Emergency Department, where the On-Call Gynaecology Registrar can assess them. You can contact the Registrar on Tel: 08 9400 5174.

• Women who are 20 weeks gestation or more can be referred to the Assessment Unit on the Delivery Suite. Please phone the On-Call Obstetric Registrar at 08 9400 9116 before sending your patient.

• If the woman’s condition changes before her scheduled EPAS appointment, i.e. increased pain and/or bleeding, fever or rigours, dizziness or shoulder tip pain (in the case of a suspected ectopic pregnancy), she should ATTEND THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT as soon as possible.

What you can expect from EPAS:

• We will triage all referrals and try to see the patient as soon as possible. Generally, patients will be contacted within 24 hours of receiving the faxed referral. Please remember that faxes referred over the weekend cannot be dealt with until Monday morning. Similarly, there is likely to be a slight delay in processing when there is a public holiday.

• You will be sent a report after the patient has been assessed.

How to refer to the EPAS clinic:

• Referrals and imaging reports must be emailed to Suite105Admin.JHC@ramsayhealth.com.au or faxed to 08 9400 9382.

• Referral for EPAS must be from a Medical Practitioner and include:
  • Detailed obstetric and gynaecological history as well as medical history
  • Quantitative bHCG if available
  • Copy of ultrasound reports from current pregnancy if available.

  • Blood Group

• Timeliness of appointment offered will be in accordance with triaged urgency.

• On receipt of the referral, our staff will triage and contact the patient for an appointment.

• Patients who arrive without an appointment will be referred to their GP for a referral. If the problem is urgent, the patient will be referred directly to the Emergency Department for review.

• Do not send referral letters to the WA Health Central Referral Service.

Please provide the patient with detailed information on our services, contact details, and what she should bring to her appointment, e.g., copies of any ultrasound scans and blood results, plus her Medicare card.

Contact Information:

Suite 105
Level 1, Specialist Medical Centre West
Joondalup Health Campus

Phone: 08 9400 9937
Fax: 08 9400 9382

Hours of operation and availability:

• Patients are seen by appointment Monday to Friday. 8 am – 3:30 pm

• Please note that we are closed on weekends and public holidays.

• JHC will contact the patient to arrange an appointment, and the patient can call if they haven’t heard from the clinic about an appointment within 24 hours.

• Wait time for an appointment is dependent on clinical circumstances. We try to see patients as soon as clinically indicated.

Description:

This clinic is situated separately and functions separately from the gynaecology and antenatal clinics.

It provides a specialist ultrasound service to public and private patients for all obstetric and gynaecological ultrasound. Obstetric ultrasound service includes dating, first-trimester screening, anatomy, growth scans, placental location and well-being scans. A full range of gynaecology scans is offered, including complex gynaecology and endometriosis scans.

How to refer to the ultrasound clinic:

• Referrals can be faxed to 08 9400 9382 or via email to suite105AdminJHC@ramsayhealth.com.au.
• Patients will be contacted with an appointment after triage of the referral.
• If a referral is provided directly to the patient, they can call us on 08 9400 9937. The patient will be asked to email or fax the referral to us for triage before confirmation of an appointment day/time.

Billing:

• Patients referred by private specialists and GPs will be privately billed. 

Contact Information:

Joondalup Health Campus
Suite 105 (Medical Centre West)

Phone: 08 9400 9937

GPs are welcome to phone and discuss potential referrals/recommended scans or scan timing.