Physiotherapy – Adult Community

Referral Guidelines: Physiotherapy – Community Assessment and Response Team (CART)

As part of an interdisciplinary team, Community Health Physiotherapy provides services through brief intervention therapy and support to clients to live well in the community through self-management of their conditions.

The CART team’s Physiotherapy services are:

• time-limited,
• evidence-based, goal-orientated, and promote self-management
• based on a brief intervention model of care
• provided with an expectation that physiotherapy is completed within 2 – 3 months.

Services offered include:

• Comprehensive physical assessment,
• Individual and group therapy sessions (eligibility is assessed by our therapists).
• Referrals are commonly accepted, but not limited to therapy for:
  • falls
  • arthritis
  • chronic pain
  • musculoskeletal injuries
  • neurological conditions (chronic/stable)

Eligibility Criteria:

• This service is for clients who:
  • are 18-65 years old living in the City of Greater Dandenong, City of Casey and Cardinia Shire
  • have referrals with clear therapeutic goals
• This service is not for:
  • People reporting a sudden/acute deterioration in their condition with an increase in pain and loss of function. Please direct the person to the nearest Emergency Department for urgent medical attention.
  • Clients whose function has deteriorated due to Chronic Lung Conditions/Heart Failure/Unstable Diabetes/Dialysis. Please refer these cases to an Exercise Physiologist
  • Clients with a neurological diagnosis in the last 3 months, or deterioration, or a recent decline in function and/or hospitalisation. Refer to Community Rehabilitation
  • Massage therapy and/or hand therapy. Clients should be referred by their GP for private physiotherapy.
  • People currently receiving private Physiotherapy/Osteopathy or Chiropractic services for the same condition through EPC, Chronic Disease Management (CDM) Plan, NDIS/TAC/Workcover/DVA funding should discuss alternative options with their GP.
  • People being referred for a support letter for NDIS, Centrelink or Return to Work should discuss a private physiotherapy referral with their GP.
  • People aged 18-25 years with
    • a long-term/congenital physical disability or complex medical needs and
    • not linked with health services.
    • Please refer to the Young Adults Transition Service (YATS): YATSReferrals@monashhealth.org

Eligible Postcodes

City of Greater Dandenong, City of Casey or Cardinia Shire

• Greater Dandenong – 3171, 3172, 3173, 3174, 3175, 3975
• Casey – 3156, 3177, 3802, 3803, 3804, 3805, 3806, 3912, 3975, 3976, 3977, 3978, 3980
• Cardinia – 3139, 3781, 3782, 3783, 3806, 3807, 3808, 3809, 3810, 3812, 3813, 3814, 3815, 3816, 3978, 3980, 3981, 3984, 3987

Additional information required