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.
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
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
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
Emergency care
If any of the following are present or suspected, phone 000 to arrange immediate transfer to the emergency department or seek emergency medical advice if in a remote region:
- 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
Bulk Billed Clinics
Mater Health Services offers patients the opportunity to attend bulk billed clinics. To provide your patient with the opportunity to attend a bulk billed specialist clinic, please provide a named referral to one of our specialists listed above.
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.
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 |
|
|
|
Perianal Disease and Faecal Incontinence
Essential information (Referral will be declined without this)
- General referral information
- Management to date including timeline, medication and lifestyle
- History of previous drainage operation
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 |
|
|
|
Other Colorectal Surgery conditions
Essential information (Referral will be declined without this)
- General Referral Information
- Relevant condition information
- Relevant pathology and imaging reports
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
|
Conditions not in scope
Non-routine conditions
The following conditions are not routinely provided at Mater Hospital Brisbane:
- Appearance medicine