Queensland Government
Home > Refer your patient > Gastroenterology > Altered bowel habit

Altered bowel habit

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

  • Progressive or persistent symptoms that are significantly impacting activities of daily living despite medical management
  • Progressive or persistent symptoms with Red flags
  • Presence of Red flags
    • Bloody or nocturnal diarrhoea
    • Weight loss, ≥5% of body weight in previous 6 months
    • Persistent abdominal pain
    • Iron deficiency in males and postmenopausal women or unexplained iron deficiency in premenopausal women
    • Abnormal imaging
    • Patient and family history of bowel cancer or inflammatory bowel disease

Category 2

Appointment within 90 days is desirable

  • Progressive or persistent symptoms despite medical management without Red flags

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

Not an exhaustive list

  • Consider referring to a dietitian e.g. Fermentable oligo -, di-, mono-saccharides and polyols (FODMAP) diet

Referral requirements

A referral may be rejected without the following information.

Essential referral information

  • Patient and family history of gastrointestinal cancer
  • FBC TSH iron studies results
  • Coeliac serology results

Additional useful information (useful for processing the referral)

  • Relevant imaging reports (e.g. pelvic USS)
  • CA125
  • Faecal calprotectin

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.)
Back to top