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Incontinence/bladder dysfunction including painful bladder syndromes (female)

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

  • Suspected malignant mass
  • Bladder outlet obstruction
  • Haematuria or sterile pyuria
  • Elevated post-void residuals (> 300mls) and hydronephrosis on USS and/or altered renal function
  • Known or suspected neurogenic bladder
  • Suspected urogenital fistulae

Category 2

Appointment within 90 days is desirable

  • Incontinence requiring multiple (> 2) pad changes per day
  • Nocturnal incontinence
  • Post-void residual > 100ml
  • Associated faecal incontinence
  • Moderate to severe pelvic organ prolapse

Category 3

Appointment within 365 days is desirable

  • Incontinence requiring 1-2 pad changes per day and any of the following:
    • recurrent (> 3 per year) or persistent UTI
    • persisting bladder or urethral or perineal pain
    • socially limiting (severe)
    • failed physiotherapy/continence nurse management
    • failed 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

  • Bladder chart/diary – time and volume chart
  • MSU
  • USS urinary tract and post-void residual
  • Physiotherapy and/or continence nurse management e.g. pelvic floor muscle exercises and bladder training
  • 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.

Essential referral information

  • General referral information
  • MSU M/C/S results
  • USS urinary tract results

Additional referral information (useful for processing the referral)

  • Documented episodes of incontinence – bladder chart/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.)
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