National Bowel Cancer Screening Program
Adult

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Emergency Referrals

Useful Management Information

For your patients, you are asked to:
- encourage those who are sent a screening test and for whom the test is clinically relevant, to participate.
- assess those with a positive result and refer them for further examination as clinically indicated, for example a colonoscopy. The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) approved Guidelines  state that participants with positive iFOBT results should have follow-up investigation unless there was a clear breach in protocol when samples were collected (e.g. menstrual blood loss close to the time of sample collection) and that colonoscopy should be performed as promptly as possible after a positive iFOBT to minimise the risk of psychological harm, although there is no evidence that prognosis is worsened within 120 days if cancer is present.
- indicate whether a patient referred for colonoscopy is a Program participant to assist with reporting to the Program Register.
- notify the Program Register of referral/non-referral for colonoscopy or other bowel examination for participants with a positive result. This can be done by returning the Program’s GP Assessment Form by fax, post or electronically.
- inform patients at average risk, or slightly above, that the NHMRC approved Guidelines recommend screening every two years, starting at age 50 years and continuing to age 74 years
- manage patients identified as being at increased risk of bowel cancer in accordance with the NHMRC approved Guidelines .
- manage patients (of any age) with symptoms in accordance with the NHMRC approved Guidelines, in recognition that bowel cancer can occur at any age.

Clinical Resources

Minimum Referral Criteria

Does your patient meet the minimum referral criteria?

Category 1 (appointment within 30 calendar days)	iFOBT positive in patients ≥ 50- 74 years old
Category 2 (appointment within 90 calendar days)	No category 2 criteria
Category 3 (appointment within 365 calendar days)	No category 3 criteria
Consider other treatment pathways or an alternative diagnosis If the patient does not meet the criteria for referral but the referring practitioner believes the patient requires specialist review, a clinical override may be requested: 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.

Standard Referral Information

Reason for request

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

Relevant clinical information about the condition

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
All conservative options that have been pursued unsuccessfully prior to referral
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
Any special care requirements where relevant (e.g tracheostomy in place, oxygen required)
Current medications and dosages
Drug allergies
Alcohol, tobacco and other drugs use

Patient's Demographic Details

Full name (including aliases)
Date and country of birth
Residential and postal address including whether patient resides at an aged care facility
Telephone contact number/s – home, mobile and alternative
Medicare number (where eligible)
Name of the parent or caregiver (if appropriate)
Name of delegate and contact details (Department of Corrective Services)
Preferred language and interpreter requirements
Identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
Any special needs, access requirements and/or disability relevant to the referral

Referring Practitioner Details

Full name
Full address
Contact details – telephone, fax, email
Provider number
Date of referral
Signature
Nominated general practitioner’s details (if known), if the nominated general practitioner is different from the referring practitioner

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.)

Essential Referral Information

NBCSP results - showing positive iFOBT result
NBCSP ID number
Patient and family history of bowel cancer
Medical and surgical history
Current medications (if relevant)

If a specific test result is unable to be obtained due to access, financial, religious, cultural or consent reasons a Clinical Override may be requested. This reason must be clearly articulated in the body of the referral.

Additional Referral Information

No additional referral information

Send Referrals To

Smart Referrals

Preferred Method
About Smart Referrals

Secure Web Transfer

Send to: Gold Coast Health Service District

Internal Referrals

Not available

Fax

(07) 5687 4497

Post

Booking and Referral Centre
Gold Coast University Hospital
1 Hospital Boulevard
Southport QLD 4215

Enquiries

1300 559 083

Related HealthPathways

No directly related pathways found

HealthPathways home page

Service Availability

Dr Sneha John

Medical Director Endoscopy

Facilities

Gold Coast University Hospital

If you would like to send a named referral, please address it to the specialist listed above, who will allocate a suitably qualified specialist to see the patient. Alternatively, you can view a full list of our specialists.

National Bowel Cancer Screening ProgramAdult