Mater Private Specialist Quick Find

Colorectal Surgery – public patients

Clinical Lead - Dr Christopher Allen

Catchment criteria applies for referrals for this service. Patient referrals from outside the Mater SEQ Catchment (which includes Metro South and West Moreton Hospital and Health Services) may not be accepted.

Purpose

This page contains information for general practitioners on how to refer patients aged 16 years and over to General Surgery – Colorectal services at Mater Hospital Brisbane

Service

Mater Hospital Brisbane's Colorectal Service has the primary goal of delivering holistic, patient centric care to patients throughout their entire journey of care. The Mater Colorectal Service currently offers inpatient and outpatient services for:

  • Specialist outpatient appointments
  • Colonoscopy
  • Gastroscopy
  • Surgical theatre

How to send a referral

 

Emergency

If any of the following are present or suspected, phone 000 to arrange immediate transfer to the emergency department of seek emergent medical advice if in a remote region:

 

View list of conditions:

  • Suspected strangulated/incarcerated or obstruction of any hernia
  • Acute, severe abdominal pain with or without associated sepsis
  • New onset of obstructive jaundice
  • Acute painful perianal conditions
  • Acute cholecystitis
  • Acute pancreatitis
  • Bowel obstruction
  • Severe per rectum bleeding
  • Acute abscess at any site
  • Acute testicular pain Gallstones with symptoms of cholangitis

 

Scope of Service

Conditions out of scope

The following conditions are not routinely provided at Mater Hospital Brisbane

View List of Conditions

  • Appearance medicine

 

Conditions in scope

Colorectal Bowel Disease

Essential information (Referral will be declined without this)

  • General referral information
  • Specific family history of gastrointestinal malignancy, polyposis or IBD
  • Previous gastroenterologist investigations and results (date, report and histology results) e.g. last 2-3 clinic letters
  • History of weight loss and/or ascites
  • History of bowel function:
  • altered bowel habit
  • rectal tenesmus
  • incomplete rectal emptying
  • PR blood, pus or mucus
  • flatus
  • mass
  • Co-morbid conditions and other risk factors
  • FBC ELFT U&E
  • CEA results if diagnosis of cancer suspected

Additional referral information (useful for processing the referral)

  • Relevant imaging report/s
  • CT of chest, abdomen and pelvis results
  • Virtual CT report
  • Any positive DRE findings and perianal condition
  • Previous colonoscopy and polypectomy results
  • Biopsy results
  • FOBT results

Other useful information for management (not an exhaustive list)

  • Refer to local Healthpathways or local guidelines
  • Lifestyle modification (increased activity, dietary, weight, smoking, alcohol)
  • Correct iron deficiency and anaemia if possible
  • Routine follow-up of patients on treatments for IBD
  • Change in symptoms should initiate reassessment of previous results

Categorisation

Available appointments are provided to our patients based on clinical priority. A process of categorisation ensures safety and equity of access.

Category 1 – urgent

Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 30 days

Category 2 - Priority

Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 90 days

Category 3 - Routine

Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 365 days

Diagnosed malignancies

Palpable or visible anorectal mass

IBD

Recent significant unexplained weight loss

GI obstructive symptoms

Colovesical or colovaginal fistula

FOBT positive

Rectal bleeding with following concerning features

  • Dark blood coating or mixed with stool
  • Weight loss, ≥5% of body weight in previous 6 months
  • Abdominal / rectal mass
  • Iron deficiency in males and postmenopausal women or unexplained iron deficiency in premenopausal women
  • Patient and family history of bowel cancer (1st degree relative <55 years old)

 

Chronic ongoing colorectal problems

Recurrent diarrhoea

Diverticular disease for evaluation

Rectal bleeding without any concerning features as articulated in category 1

Pruritus ani

 

Perianal Disease and Faecal Incontinence

Essential information (Referral will be declined without this)

Additional referral information (useful for processing the referral)

  • Previous gastroenterologist investigations and results (date, report and histology results) e.g. last 2-3 clinic letters

OASIS

  • Assess sphincter function and integrity and endoanal USS results.

Other useful information for management (not an exhaustive list)

  • Refer to local Healthpathways or local guidelines
  • Local application of cold packs and oral anti-inflammatory medications
  • Referral to pelvic floor physiotherapist
  • Education about pelvic floor care and specific techniques for defecation
  • Oral antibiotics such as Augmentin®, or clindamycin where penicillin allergy is a factor, should be considered.
  • Sexual counselling for the couple
  • Counselling for subsequent pregnancy management
  • Importance of follow-up six weeks and three months postpartum
  • Postpartum management: avoid constipation, use of aperients, dietary advice

Fistula

  • Persisting fistula discharge/infections Glyceryl trinitrate 0.2% ointment (Rectogesic®): TDS for four-six weeks (NS)
  • Lifestyle modification (increased activity, dietary, weight, smoking, alcohol)

Pilonidal Sinus

  • Lifestyle modification (increased activity, dietary, weight, smoking, alcohol)
  • Advice on hygiene, sweating activity, activity associated with sitting and buttock friction

Categorisation

Available appointments are provided to our patients based on clinical priority. A process of categorisation ensures safety and equity of access.

Category 1 – urgent

Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 30 days

Category 2 - Priority

Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 90 days

Category 3 - Routine

Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 365 days

Persistent perineal sepsis

 

 

 

 

 

 

Symptomatic obstetric anal sphincter injury (OASIS)

Fissure not responding to maximal medical treatment after 6 weeks

External rectal prolapse

Pilonidal disease

Warts

Uncomplicated haemorrhoids

Anal skin tags and benign peri-anal polyps

Uncomplicated fistula in ano

Faecal incontinence

 

Other Colorectal Surgery condition

Essential information (Referral will be declined without this)

Categorisation

Available appointments are provided to our patients based on clinical priority. A process of categorisation ensures safety and equity of access.

Category 1 – urgent

Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 30 days

Category 2 - Priority

Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 90 days

Category 3 - Routine

Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 365 days

 

 

Bulk Billed Clinics 

Mater Health offers patients the opportunity to attend bulk billed clinics. To provide your patient with the opportunity to attend a bulk billed clinic, please provide a named referral to one of the specialists listed above.

Contact Us 

If you would like to discuss a referral, including clinical criteria, or update the status of a current patient please contact our priority GP phone line on 07 3163 2200 

Current Waiting Time for Appointments

We provide up to date data on how long patients are waiting for their first appointment by specialty here.

Referral Guideline Development

These Mater Referral Guidelines align with standardised best practice tools for referral to publicly funded specialist outpatient services developed in Queensland through the Clinical Prioritisation Criteria project. 

 

Content last reviewed: 12 February 2024


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