Queensland Government
Home > Refer your patient > Gynaecology > Vulva lesion/lump/genital warts/boil/swelling/abscess/ulcer/Bartholin’s cyst

Vulva lesion/lump/genital warts/boil/swelling/abscess/ulcer/Bartholin’s cyst

Emergency 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 and a copy faxed immediately to the Central Patient Intake Unit: 1300 364 952.

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

  • Vulval disease with suspicion of malignancy.
  • Unexplained vulval lump, ulceration or bleeding.
  • Postmenopausal women with abnormal vulval lesions
  • Pregnant or immunosuppressed

Category 2

Appointment within 90 days is desirable

  • Suspected vulval dystrophy
  • Bartholin’s cysts or other vulval  cysts in patients >40 years old
  • Vulval warts where:
    • the patient is immunocompromised (e.g. HIV positive, immunosuppressant medications)
    • the diagnosis is unclear
    • atypical genital warts (including pigmented lesions)
    • there are positive results from the screen for other STIs

Category 3

Appointment within 365 days is desirable

  • Vulval lesion where:
    • there is treatment failure or where treatment cannot be tolerated due to side-effects
    • there are problematic recurrences
  • Vulval rashes
  • Vulval warts
  • Bartholin’s cyst/labial cysts

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

  • For paediatric and adolescent gynaecology patients, please refer to statewide paediatric and adolescent gynaecology (SPAG) services at LCCH
  • Antibiotic treatment of Bartholins cyst is of no value.
  • In women where a vulval cancer is strongly suspected on examination, urgent referral should not await biopsy.
  • Vulval cancers may present as unexplained lumps, bleeding from ulceration or pain.
  • Vulval cancer may also present with pruritus or pain. For a patient who presents with these symptoms and where cancer is not immediately suspected, it is reasonable to use a period of ‘treat, watch and wait’ as a method of management. However, this should include active follow-up until symptoms resolve or a diagnosis is confirmed. If symptoms persist, the referral may be urgent or non-urgent, depending on the symptoms and the degree of concern about cancer.
  • For optimum care, the patient with vulval disease with a suspicion of malignancy and/or unexplained vulval lump, ulceration or bleeding, should be seen by a specialist within two weeks.

Referral requirements

A referral may be rejected without the following information.

Essential referral information

  • General referral information
  • History of:
    • pain
    • swelling
    • pruritus
    • dyspareunia
    • localised lesions (pigmented or non-pigmented lesions)
    • STIs or other vaginal infections
    • local trauma
  • Elicit onset, duration and course of presenting symptoms
  • Date of last menstrual period
  • Medical management to date
  • Pap smear if the referral is for genital warts

Additional referral information (useful for processing the referral)

  • Vulva ulcers – swab M/C/S and viral PCR result
  • Vulval rashes – scraping, swabs or biopsy (as appropriate)
  • STI screen result -endocervical swab or first catch urine for chlamydia +/- gonorrhoea NAA (as appropriate)
  • Syphillis HIV serology (as appropriate)

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