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Tonsillitis (recurrent) or tonsillar enlargement

Emergency department referrals

All urgent cases must be discussed with the on call ENT Registrar. Contact through Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (07) 3646 8111 to obtain appropriate prioritisation and treatment.

Urgent cases accepted via phone must be accompanied with a written referral and a copy faxed immediately to the Central Patient Intake Unit: 1300 364 952.

If any of the following are present or suspected, refer the patient to the emergency department (via ambulance if necessary):

  • Acute tonsillitis with airway obstruction and/or unable to tolerate oral intake and/or uncontrolled fever
  • Tonsillar haemorrhage
  • Abscess or haematoma, (e.g., peritonsillar abscess/quinsy, salivary abscess, with or without associated cellulitis

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

  • No category 1 criteria

Category 2

Appointment within 90 days is desirable

  • No category 2 criteria

Category 3

Appointment within 365 days is desirable

  • Chronic or recurrent infection with fever/malaise and decreased PO intake and any of the following:
    • 4 or more episodes in the last 12 months
    • 6 or more episodes in the last 24 months
    • sleep apnoea or sleep disordered breathing due to tonsillar hypertrophy
    • tonsillar concretions with halitosis
    • absent from work/school/university/college for 4 weeks in a year

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

Not an exhaustive list

  • Refer to HealthPathways for assessment and management information if available

Medical management

  • Manage acute episodes
  • Analgesia
  • Antibiotics
  • Fluids
  • Throat gargle
  • Rest
  • Consider Monospot or Epstein Barr virus serology

Referral requirements

A referral may be rejected without the following information.

Essential referral information

  • Number and timeframe of previous episodes
  • Degree of systemic symptoms and time off work/school/university/college
  • Previous antibiotic prescriptions
  • Details of previous treatment (including systemic and topical medications prescribed) including the course and outcome of the treatment
  • Please advise if taking any anticoagulant medication, including aspirin and fish oil, and any family history of coagulation disorder in referral

Additional referral information (Useful for processing the referral)

  • Has tonsillitis caused an admission to hospital in the previous 12 months?

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.)
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