Stroke/transient ischaemic attack (TIA)

ADULT

  • If any of the following are present or suspected, please refer the patient to the emergency department (via ambulance if necessary) or follow local emergency care protocols or seek emergent medical advice if in a remote region.

    Stroke/transient ischaemic attack (TIA)

    • Patient with acute neurological symptoms of a stroke; multiple/crescendo TIA
    • New acute symptoms

    • Refer to healthPathways or local guidelines
    • Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk assessment with the AusCVD risk calculator applies to primary prevention only and is intended to support early identification of cardiovascular risk in patients without established cardiovascular disease.
    • Calculation of CVD risk is not required and not applicable for patients with established cardiovascular disease, including (but not limited to):
      • stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA)
      • peripheral arterial disease (PAD)
      • aneurysm
    • Where CVD risk assessment is undertaken for primary prevention:
      • Low risk (<5%): encourage, support and advise a healthy lifestyle
      • Intermediate risk (5% to <10%): encourage lifestyle measures and consider blood pressure and lipid lowering therapy, depending on clinical context
    • Consider allied health (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy) management
      • to assess functional capacity if disability increasing
      • speech pathology for assessment of swallowing and/or communication difficulties
      • occupational therapist and physiotherapist for patients with mobility/ADL changes
    • Consider driving advice

    Patient resources

Minimum Referral Criteria
Category 1
(appointment within 30 calendar days)
  • Stroke/TIA known or suspected with last change in symptoms less than 2 weeks prior to referral
Category 2
(appointment within 90 calendar days)
  • Stroke/TIA known or suspected with last change in symptoms more than 2 weeks prior to referral
Category 3
(appointment within 365 calendar days)
  • Chronic ischaemic lesion identified on imaging not previously addressed
  • Covert brain infarction – and other neurovascular “what is this lesion” questions i.e., ICAD, DVAs, suspected amyloid angiopathy changes
  • Second specialist opinion for secondary prevention

Please insert the below information and minimum referral criteria into referral

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

  • Neuroimaging results
  • Medication list
  • Relevant previous medical history

3. Additional referral information Useful for processing the referral

  • ELFT, FBC, fasting lipids and glucose results
  • ABCD2 stroke risk score
  • ECG results
  • Doppler ultrasound carotid vessels
  • Echocardiogram
  • Holter monitor results
  • Discharge summary (if the patient is being referred for second opinion)

4. Request

  • Patient's Demographic Details

    • Full name (including aliases)
    • Date of birth
    • Residential and postal address
    • Telephone contact number/s – home, mobile and alternative
    • Medicare number (where eligible)
    • Name of the parent or caregiver (if appropriate)
    • Preferred language and interpreter requirements
    • Identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander

    Referring Practitioner Details

    • Full name
    • Full address
    • Contact details – telephone, fax, email
    • Provider number
    • Date of referral
    • Signature

    Relevant clinical information about the condition

    • Presenting symptoms (evolution and duration)
    • Physical findings
    • Details of previous treatment (including systemic and topical medications prescribed) including the course and outcome of the treatment
    • Body mass index (BMI)
    • Details of any associated medical conditions which may affect the condition or its treatment (e.g. diabetes), noting these must be stable and controlled prior to referral
    • Current medications and dosages
    • Drug allergies
    • Alcohol, tobacco and other drugs use

    Reason for request

    • 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

    Clinical modifiers

    • Impact on employment
    • Impact on education
    • Impact on home
    • Impact on activities of daily living
    • Impact on ability to care for others
    • Impact on personal frailty or safety
    • Identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander

    Other relevant information

    • Willingness to have surgery (where surgery is a likely intervention)
    • Choice to be treated as a public or private patient
    • Compensable status (e.g. DVA, Work Cover, Motor Vehicle Insurance, etc.)

  • If any of the following are present or suspected, please refer the patient to the emergency department (via ambulance if necessary) or follow local emergency care protocols or seek emergent medical advice if in a remote region.

    • Please note that where appropriate and where available, the referral may be streamed to an associated public allied health and/or nursing service.  Access to some specific services may include initial assessment and management by associated public allied health and/or nursing, which may either facilitate or negate the need to see the public medical specialist.

    • A change in patient circumstance (such as condition deteriorating, or becoming pregnant) may affect the urgency categorisation and should be communicated as soon as possible.

    • Please indicate in the referral if the patient is unable to access mandatory tests or investigations as they incur a cost or are unavailable locally.

Last updated: 28 September 2026

© State of Queensland (Queensland Health) 2023

Except as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part of this work may be reproduced, communicated or adapted without permission from Queensland Health. To request permission email ip_officer@health.qld.gov.au1.