Unit of competency Outline

Date retreived
22/07/2026 11:21 PM AWST

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Make referrals to other health care professionals when appropriate

Make referrals to other health care professionals when appropriate

Unit of competency
National Code
HLTCOM406C
State Code
D5823
TGA Status
Replaced
DTWD Status
Replaced
Current Release Number
1.00
Current Release Date
25/03/2011
State Implementation and Classification
Approved Date
08/08/2014
Field of Education
080901 - Secretarial And Clerical Studies
Original Release Date
08/08/2014
Nominal Hours
30
Description
DescriptorThis unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to arrange referrals to other health care professionals when required
Notes
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Formulate a referral plan for client requiring further treatment
  • 1.1 Determine need for referral to other health care professionals services
  • 1.2 Communicate need for referral to the client
  • 1.3 Consider the financial aspects of complementary health care
  • 1.4 Ensure referral occurs with permission/consent of client and within confidentiality/privacy standards
2. Interact with other health care professionals
  • 2.1 Identify a range of complementary health care professionals and services
  • 2.2 Consult Complementary health care professionals and support services to determine the most appropriate source for referral
  • 2.3 Relate effectively and knowledgeably with other health care professionals
3. Arrange a referral to an appropriate source for clients with specific needs
  • 3.1 Contact the health care professional and/or service to whom clients are to be referred
  • 3.2 Arrange transfer of copies ofclient records to the appropriate referral source
  • 3.3 Include the client in referral communications and provided with written referrals
  • 3.4 Brief the appropriate health professional/service is on reason for referral
  • 3.5 Answer queries regarding the referral
  • 3.6 Provide assistance to other health care professionals/services as required
  • 3.7 Record referrals in case notes
RANGE STATEMENT

The Range Statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.


Need for referral may include:
Client in need of ongoing support or counselling
Client with a counselling need beyond the practitioner's own level of skill
Client with a personality disorder
Disclosure, by a minor, of abuse
Practitioner establishes a supervisory, social or sexual relationship with client
Practitioner identifies with client transference or counter-transference
Referral to a GP for initial or follow up pathology
Referral to GP/health services because of a/or suspicion of notifiable disease
Suicidal or homicidal client


Other health care professionals/services may include but are not limited to:
Complementary health therapists
Dieticians
Doctors
Law officers
Mental health units or hospitals
Physiotherapists/chiropractors
Professional counsellors or psychologists
Psychiatrists
Social or health workers


Complementary health care practitioners may include:
Acupuncturists
Chiropractors
Herbalists
Massage therapists
More experienced homoeopaths with or without a speciality
Naturopaths
Osteopaths


Support services may include:
Domestic violence telephone service
Life line
Local child care centre
Local church groups
Local other than Christian groups
Local welfare centre
Others


Referral may be by:
Verbal communication
Written communication


Client records may include:
A copy of the whole care record
A synopsis of the case record
Homoeopathic specific information via e.g. Standard Case Recoding forms, symptom descriptor forms, treatment evaluation and progress sheets


Briefing may include:
Conventional written letter
Electronic communication e.g. email
Verbal communication e.g. telephone or face to face
EVIDENCE GUIDE

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate this competency unit:
Observation of performance in the workplace or a simulated workplace (defined as a supervised clinic) is essential for assessment of this unit
Assessment may contain both theoretical and practical components and examples covering a range of clinical situations
The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills
Consistency of performance should be demonstrated over the required range of situations relevant to the workplace
Where, for reasons of safety, space, or access to equipment and resources, assessment takes place away from the workplace, the assessment environment should represent workplace conditions as closely as possible
Assessment of sole practitioners must include a range of clinical situations and different client groups covering at minimum, age, culture and gender
Assessment of sole practitioners must consider their unique workplace context, including:
interaction with others in the broader professional community as part of the sole practitioner's workplace
scope of practice as detailed in the qualification and component competency units
holistic/integrated assessment including:
working within the practice framework
performing a health assessment
assessing the client
planning treatment
providing treatment


Access and equity considerations:
All workers in the health industry should be aware of access and equity issues in relation to their own area of work
All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment
In recognition of particular health issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues impacting on health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues, in particular relating to factors impacting on health of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities


Context of and specific resources for assessment:
Assessment should replicate workplace conditions as far as possible
Simulations may be used to represent workplace conditions as closely as possible
Where, for reasons of safety, access to equipment and resources and space, assessment takes place away from the workplace, simulations should be used to represent workplace conditions as closely as possible
Resources essential for assessment include:
contact directories


Method of assessment
Observation in the work place (if possible)
Written assignments/projects or questioning should be used to assess knowledge
Case study and scenario as a basis for discussion of issues and strategies to contribute to best practice
Conventional letters or electronic communication
Replaces
State Code National Code Title Type
C4956 HLTCOM6A Make referrals to other health care professionals when appropriate Unit of competency
C9130 HLTCOM406B Make referrals to other health care professionals when appropriate Unit of competency
Replaced By
State Code National Code Title Type
AVB45 CHCPRP005 Engage with health professionals and the health system Unit of competency