Head and Neck Cancer
Emergency referrals
Phone on call Oncology Registrar and send patient to the Department of Emergency Medicine at their nearest hospital.
Contact on call Oncology Registrar through:
- Royal Brisbane & Women’s Hospital (07) 3646 8111
- The Prince Charles Hospital (07) 3139 4000
- Redcliffe Hospital (07) 3883 7777
- Caboolture Hospital (07) 5433 8888
Does your patient wish to be referred?
Minimum referral criteria
Does your patient meet the minimum referral criteria?
Category 1
Appointment within 30 days is desirable
- Biopsy confirmed head and neck malignancy (oral and nasal cavity, larynx, pharynx, salivary glands) for combined chemo-radiotherapy or induction chemotherapy. For optimum care, patient should be seen within 2 weeks.
- Biopsy confirmed head and neck malignancy not amenable to surgery or radiotherapy and for palliative chemotherapy. For optimum care, patient should be seen within 2 weeks.
- Resected head and neck malignancy with high risk features for adjuvant radiation or chemo-radiotherapy.
Category 2
Appointment within 90 days is desirable
- No category 2 criteria
Category 3
Appointment within 365 days is desirable
- No category 3 criteria
If your patient does not meet the minimum referral criteria
Consider other treatment pathways or an alternative diagnosis.
If you still need to refer your patient:
- Please explain why (e.g. warning signs or symptoms, clinical modifiers, uncertain about diagnosis, etc.)
- Please note that your referral may not be accepted or may be redirected to another service
Other important information for referring practitioners
- Patients with new or suspected diagnosis of head and neck cancer should initially be referred to ear, nose and throat surgeons for a comprehensive assessment of upper aerodigestive tract regardless of presence or absence of metastatic disease
- Patients with airway compromise, symptomatic hypercalcaemia or significant bleeding should be referred to emergency department
- For patients with incurable (metastatic or recurrent) cancer, consideration of the following:
- documentation of discussions with the patient (and their carers where appropriate) regarding the intent of treatment (anti-cancer therapy to improve quality of life and/or longevity without expectation of cure or symptom palliation), the woman’s prognosis and their understanding of their prognosis
- whether Advanced Care Planning (ACP) conversations have been undertaken and their outcome
- specific patient goals and values that may impact on treatment choices, and
- whether the patient has been referred to a palliative or supportive care service.
- Barium swallow as needed
Referral requirements
A referral may be rejected without the following information.
- General referral information
- Past medical history, current medications, weight loss
- Height and weight
- Smoking and alcohol history
- Previous cancer treatment details
- Physical examination of the affected area, i.e. throat, neck
- Pertinent social history/support
- Biopsy results
- Endoscopy results
- Any relevant CT, PET, scan +/- MRI results
Additional referral information (useful for processing the referral)
- History of significant hearing impairment can help guide treatment
Out of catchment
Metro North Health is responsible for providing public health services to the people who reside within its boundaries. Special consideration is made for patients requiring tertiary care or services that are not provided by their local Hospital and Health Service. If your patient lives outside the Metro North Health area and you wish to refer them to one of our services, inclusion of information regarding their particular medical and social factors will assist with the triaging of your referral.
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Full name
- Full address
- Contact details – telephone, fax, email
- Provider number
- Date of referral
- Signature
- 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.)
Send referral
Hotline: 1300 364 938
Medical Objects ID: MQ40290004P
HealthLink EDI: qldmnhhs
Mail:
Metro North Central Patient Intake
Aspley Community Centre
776 Zillmere Road
ASPLEY QLD 4034
Health pathways
Access to Health Pathways is free for clinicians in Metro North Brisbane.
For login details email:
healthpathways@brisbanenorthphn.org.au
Login to Brisbane North Health Pathways:
brisbanenorth.healthpathwayscommunity.org