Gynaecology
Minimum referral criteria
All requests are categorised using state‑wide urgency criteria, condition‑specific as below.
Category 1 - Seen within 30 days |
Category 2 - Seen within 90 days |
Category 3 - Seen within 365 days |
Conditions
- Abnormal cervical screening, cervical dysplasia, or abnormal cervix
- Cervical polyp
- Dyspareunia (deep or superficial)
- Fibroids
- Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB)
- Infertility / recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL)
- Intermenstrual bleeding
- Known or suspected endometriosis
- Mirena® or progesterone releasing IUD Insertion or removal for HBT or HRT
- Ovarian cyst or pelvic mass
- Pelvic floor dysfunction
- Pelvic pain / dysmenorrhea / PMS
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
- Post-coital bleeding
- Post-menopausal bleeding
- Primary or secondary amenorrhoea
- Termination of pregnancy
- Vulva lesion, lump, genital warts, boil, swelling, abscess, ulcer, or Bartholin's cyst
Exclusions
- Elective cosmetic surgery e.g. labiaplasty
NB labial hypertrophy in paediatric and adolescent patients: refer to Statewide Paediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology Services (SPAG) at LCCH/RBWH. - Elective tubal ligation but will be accepted as a category 3, if:
- patient cannot use/trialled other contraceptive methods
- patient does not want to pass on any genetic disorders or disabilities
- indicated for women suffering from medical or obstetric conditions that would contraindicate future pregnancy
- within the scope of the local health service
- Routine contraceptive counselling
- Routine Implanon/Mirena/progesterone-releasing IUD insertion for contraception, unless within the scope of the local health service
- Primary menopausal care
- Cervical screening test
- Postnatal check-up
- Reversal of tubal ligation
- IVF services
- Elective termination of pregnancy
From 3 December 2018 the Termination of Pregnancy Act 2018 ensures a termination of pregnancy is treated as a health issue rather than a criminal issue in Queensland. The Act supports a woman's right to health and autonomy, provides clarity for health practitioners, and brings Queensland in line with other Australian jurisdictions.
Information for health practitioners can be found on the Clinical Excellence website or by contacting 13HEALTH.
NB: It is recommended to see regular GP for continuity of care and alternatively, where available, recommend referral to True – relationships and reproductive health (formerly known as Family Planning Queensland) or Women's Health speciality primary care provider/service.
Information for gynaecology referrals
Include the standard information and any condition-specific information.
Indicate in the referral if the patient is unable to access mandatory tests or investigations due to cost or local unavailability.
Standard information for all referrals
Reason for request
- To establish a diagnosis
- For treatment or intervention
- For advice and management
- For specialist to take over management
- Reassurance for general practitioner or second opinion
- For a specified test or investigation the general practitioner can't order, or the patient can't afford or access
- Reassurance for the patient or family
- For other reason (e.g., rapidly accelerating disease progression)
- Clinical judgement indicates a referral for specialist review is necessary
Patient's demographic details
- Full name (including aliases)
- Date of birth
- Residential and postal address
- Phone contact numbers – 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 Torres Strait Islander
Referring practitioner details
- Full name
- Full address
- Contact details – phone, fax, email
- Provider number
- Date of referral
- Signature
- Patient's usual general practitioner (if different from above)
Relevant clinical information about the condition
- Inclusion of Clinical Prioritisation Criteria (CPC) where relevant
- Presenting symptoms (evolution and duration)
- Physical findings
- Investigations carried out and results as indicated in the relevant pathway
- Details of previous treatment (including systemic and topical medications prescribed) including the course and outcome of the treatment
- Options already pursued
- 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
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 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, WorkCover, motor vehicle insurance)
Information for your patient
Expected time frame for appointment notifications
- Once the request is received, categorisation by the hospital will occur.
- General practitioners and patients are notified of the assigned category between 14 days to 1 month after completed request is received.
- Patients are usually notified of the upcoming appointment time and date approximately 4 weeks prior unless short notice appointments become available.
Appointment information
- Patients will be given an appointment via phone, SMS, or letter.
- The patient must contact the hospital to reschedule if they are not able to attend.
- If the patient fails to respond to 2 appointment offers:
- They will be discharged back to their general practitioner.
- They can have a new request for assessment sent to the hospital if the need still exists.
- The patient's first appointment may not always be with a specialist. Where appropriate, the request may be sent to a public allied health or nursing service for initial assessment and management. A specialist assessment may then be arranged or ruled out.
Ask your patient to:
- take a list of current medications, and all relevant radiology films and reports to appointments.
- advise of any change in circumstance (e.g., getting worse or becoming pregnant), as this may affect the request for assessment.
- update their contact details (e.g., phone number and address) with the hospital.
