Lower urinary tract symptoms (female)
Emergency department referrals
All urgent cases must be discussed with the on call Registrar to obtain appropriate prioritisation and treatment. Contact through:
- Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (07) 3646 8111
- The Prince Charles Hospital (07) 3139 4000
- Redcliffe Hospital (07) 3883 7777
- Caboolture Hospital (07) 5433 8888
Urgent cases accepted via phone must be accompanied with a written referral immediately sent electronically 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 urinary retention
- Urinary tract and genital trauma
- Urinary tract sepsis or severe infection
- Severe urinary tract bleeding
- Acute urinary retention post IDC insertion
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
- Abnormal USS suggestive of urinary tract tumour or suspicion of malignancy
- Elevated post-void residuals (> 300mls) and hydronephrosis on USS and/or altered renal function
- Severe irritative symptoms
- Haematuria and/or sterile pyuria
- Known or suspected neurogenic bladder and/or neurological symptoms
- Suspected urogenital fistulae
Category 2
Appointment within 90 days is desirable
- USS suggestive of bladder outlet obstruction
- Bladder stones
- Elevated post-void residuals > 100ml
- Nocturnal incontinence
- Suspected or proven urethral stricture and/or urethral diverticulum
- Acute change in long-term catheter
- Persistent or progressive symptoms despite maximal medical management
- Moderate to severe pelvic organ prolapse
- Previous incontinence/prolapse/pelvic surgery and/or pelvic radiation/ malignancy
Category 3
Appointment within 365 days is desirable
- Recurrent UTI (> 3 per year)
- Persisting bladder or urethral or perineal pain
- Socially limiting (severe)
- Ineffective physiotherapy/continence nurse management
- Ineffective anti-cholinergic and beta3 adrenergic agonist therapy
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
- Bladder chart/diary – time and volume chart
- MSU
- Physiotherapy and/or continence nurse management e.g. pelvic floor muscle exercises and bladder training
- Consider USS urinary tract and post-void residual measurement
- Consider anticholinergics: if low residuals on bladder scan, no suspicion of a sinister cause, not hypersensitive to the drug, and no history of acute angle glaucoma
- Refer to HealthPathways for assessment and management information if available
Referral requirements
A referral may be rejected without the following information.
- Full perineal examination
- Smoking history (even if negative)
- MSU M/C/S results
- USS urinary tract results
Additional referral information (useful for processing the referral)
- History of previous incontinence/prolapse/pelvic surgery and/or pelvic radiation/malignancy
- Bladder diary – time and volume chart
- ELFT results
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