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Tonsillitis (recurrent)

PAEDIATRIC

Minimum Referral Criteria

  • Category 1
    (appointment within 30 calendar days)
    • No category 1 criteria
  • Category 2
    (appointment within 90 calendar days)
    • Ulceration and/or recurrent unilateral enlargement, with/without lymphadenopathy
  • Category 3
    (appointment within 365 calendar days)
    • Recurrent sore throat due to acute tonsillitis and any of the following:
      • 4 or more episodes in the last 12 months
      • 4 episodes per year for 2 consecutive years
      • 3 episodes per year for 3 consecutive years
      • more than 2 weeks missed for school or parents attendance at work
      • history of quinsy

1. Reason for request Indicate on the referral

  • To establish a diagnosis
  • For treatment or intervention
  • For advice and management
  • For specialist to take over management
  • Reassurance for GP/second opinion
  • For a specified test/investigation the GP can't order, or the patient can't afford or access
  • Reassurance for the patient/family
  • For other reason (e.g. rapidly accelerating disease progression)
  • Clinical judgement indicates a referral for specialist review is necessary

2. Essential referral information Referral will be returned without this

  • The number and timeframe of previous episodes
  • The degree of systemic upset
  • Previous antibiotic prescriptions
  • Medical management to date

3. Additional referral information Useful for processing the referral

  • EBV serology/monospot results
  • FBC results

4. Request

Last updated: 13 June 2023