Referral to emergency

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

  • acute fractures of the craniofacial skeleton

For clinical advice, please telephone the relevant metropolitan Local Health Network switchboard and ask to speak to the relevant specialty service.

Central Adelaide Local Health Network

Southern Adelaide Local Health Network

Category 1 - appointment clinically indicated within 30 days

  • delayed presentation (less than 12 weeks) facial fractures

Category 2 — appointment clinically indicated within 90 days

  • double vision or other eye problem following facial fracture
  • previously treated facial fractures
  • secondary facial deformity following trauma

Category 3 — appointment clinically indicated within 365 days

  • nil

For more on outpatient referrals, see the general referral information.

Essential referral information

Completion required before first appointment to ensure patients are ready for care. 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.

  • identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
  • relevant social history, including identifying if you feel your patient is from a vulnerable population and/or requires a third party to receive correspondence on their behalf
  • interpreter requirements
  • past medical/surgical history
  • current medications and dosages
  • allergies and sensitivities
  • presenting symptoms
  • management history including:
    • injury/trauma if relevant
    • onset and duration
    • severity
    • pain
    • associated features, e.g. functional impairment, visual impairment
  • alcohol, tobacco and other drug use and frequency
  • examination findings including:
    • eye examination results
    • neurological examination results
  • orthopantomogram (OPG) result (mandible), include provider details and accession number
  • computed tomography (face) axial and coronal views report after discussion with plastic and reconstructive surgery service, include provider details and accession number

Clinical management advice

If the patient you are referring requires urgent attention and/or fulfils category 1 triage criteria, please call the on-call registrar to discuss.

All acute fractures that do not require emergency department presentation are triaged as a category 1 and require assessment within 7 days – please contact the on-call registrar to ensure any referrals can be actively followed up.

Assess for airway/head/spinal injuries.

Contact ophthalmology/neurosurgery if concerns of eye or neurological involvement are present.

If the patient requires urgent attention and/or fulfils category 1 triage criteria, please contact the on-call registrar to discuss and ensure your referral has been received.

Clinical resources

Consumer resources