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.
- nil
For clinical advice, please telephone the relevant specialty service.
Central Adelaide Local Health Network
- Royal Adelaide Hospital (08) 7074 0000
- Colorectal Cancer Nurse Consultant 0434 363 937
- Colorectal Cancer Nurse Consultant 0434 363 937
- The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (08) 8222 6000
- Colorectal Cancer Nurse Consultant 0434 921 738
Northern Adelaide Local Health Network
- Lyell McEwin Hospital (08) 8182 9000
- Colorectal Cancer Nurse Consultant 0435 656 943
- Colorectal Cancer Nurse Consultant 0435 656 943
Southern Adelaide Local Health Network
- Flinders Medical Centre (08) 8204 5511
- Colorectal Cancer Nurse Consultant 0434 880 154
- Colorectal Cancer Nurse Consultant 0434 880 154
Category 1 (appointment clinically indicated within 30 days)
- nil
Category 2 (appointment clinically indicated within 90 days)
- nil
Category 3 (appointment clinically indicated within 365 days)
- polyp surveillance
- colorectal cancer surveillance
- people at high-risk of colorectal cancer surveillance
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.
- past medical/surgical history
- family history - specific to bowel cancer, irritable bowel disease, and polyposis
- medications and allergies
- smoking/alcohol and other drug status
- age
- history of previous diagnosis for high-risk syndrome, or diagnosis and curative treatment provided, including:
- genetic panel confirmation
- surgery
- chemotherapy/radiotherapy and outcomes
- relevant diagnostic/imaging reports, including location of company and accession number
- previous colonoscopy reports and histopathology
- relevant letters from clinical genetics regarding recommended surveillance plans
Clinical management advice
Colorectal cancer surveillance plays a vital role in the Australian population, aiding in early detection, improving survival rates, identifying precancerous lesions, tailoring treatment plans, screening for second primary cancers, providing psychological support, and contributing to research and data collection. It is an essential component of comprehensive cancer care for individuals who have had curative surgery or are at high risk due to specific syndromes.
All referrals should be made in alignment with the national health and medical research council (NHMRC) clinical guidelines for surveillance colonoscopy.
Clinical resources
- Cancer Council - Clinical practice guidelines for surveillance colonoscopy
- Cancer Council Australia - Clinical practice guidelines for the prevention, early detection and management of colorectal cancer
- Department of Health and Aged Care - About the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program
Consumer resources
- Colorectal Surgical Society of Australia and New Zealand - Condition information
- Department of Health and Aged Care - About the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program
- National Bowel Cancer Screening Program - Lifesaver fact sheet
- Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care - Bowel cancer prevention resources
Reason for request
- to establish a diagnosis
- for treatment or intervention
- for advice and management
- for specialist to take over management
- for a specified test/investigation the General Practitioner cannot order
- for other reason (e.g. rapidly accelerating disease progression)
- transfer of care from another tertiary service
- clinical judgement indicates a referral for specialist review is necessary.
Patient 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
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.
- Relevant social history, including identifying if you feel your patient is from a vulnerable population, under guardianship/out-of-home care arrangements and/or requires a third party to receive correspondence on their behalf.
- Triage of a specialist outpatient referral is based on clinical decision making to allocate an appropriate urgency categorisation.
- 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 pregnancy) may affect the urgency categorisation and should be communicated as soon as possible.
- All new referrals will be triaged by a consultant and appointment times scheduled according to clinical urgency.