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 services at Mater Hospital Brisbane.
The General Surgery Service accepts surgical referrals for breast and endocrine surgery, colorectal surgery, hepatobiliary and upper GI surgery.
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.
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
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
Conditions in scope
Hepatobillary Surgery
Essential information (Referral will be declined without this)
- General referral information
- History including:
- Timeline of current symptoms and previous symptoms
- Number of attacks and pain severity
- Jaundice, anaemia
- Abdominal examination (abdominal mass, palpable gall bladder)
- FBC ELFT results
- Serum lipase/amylase results, especially relevant if performed at the time of an attack of pain
- Abdominal USS/CT result (USS is required for Gallstone Disease)
Additional referral information (useful for processing the referral)
- HBV HCV serology results
Other useful information for management (not an exhaustive list)
- Refer to Healthpathways or local guidelines
- Lifestyle modification (increased activity, dietary, weight, smoking, alcohol)
- Referral is not mandatory for patient with asymptomatic gallstones or gall bladder polps on ultrasound if smaller <10mm
- Short attacks of biliary colic can be managed symptomatically
- Gallstones, points for concern:
- Increasing frequency and severity of pain
- Documented jaundice or deranged LFTs
- USS evidence of duct dilatation
- If known to have common bile duct stones refer as Cat 1
- If obstructive jaundice and fever - refer to emergency
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 |
Frequent biliary colic (more than weekly) not relieved by analgesia and lasting >8hours Any suspicion of hepatobillary malignancy Known gallstones with ongoing biliary colic Gall bladder mass/recurrent cholecystitis
| Symptomatic gallstones Gallstones (following cholecystitis, recurrent biliary colic) Multiple gall bladder polyps Chronic pancreatitis Porcelain gallbladder | Asymptomatic gallstones |
Hernia Repair
Essential information (Referral will be declined without this)
- General referral information
- History of hernia (position, duration, size, symptoms)
- History of attacks of obstruction/incarceration (if any)
- BMI
Additional referral information (useful for processing the referral)
- Pathology – as indicated by comorbidities
Other useful information for management (not an exhaustive list)
- Referrals are not mandatory for asymptomatic hernia
- If pain in testes or if hernia not obvious on examination – consider USS
- Advise the patient to return if symptoms worsen and at that point consider a referral outlining the changes in condition.
- Supportive therapy (trusses, corsets or binders)
- Education, advice and information regarding:
- Severe pain at hernia site
- Inflammation at hernia site associated with fever
- Any evidence of incarceration/bowel obstruction
- All children <14 years old with inguinal hernia referred to a paediatric/surgical provider (as per the Clinical Services Capability Framework)
- Conservative management to be considered in the very elderly +/- infirm or those declining surgery
- Refer to Healthpathways or local guidelines
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 |
Irreducible and partially reducible hernia, of any kind that is suggestive of high risk of strangulation Symptomatic femoral hernia Episode of irreducibility Suspected intermittent bowel obstruction of incarcerated hernia | Symptomatic hernia of any kind with significant impact on activities of daily living Clinical uncertainty Incisional hernia Asymptomatic femoral hernia | Reducible asymptomatic hernia |
Skin and Soft Tissue Pathology - Benign and Malignant
Essential information (Referral will be declined without this)
- General referral information
- Pigmented lesion features: size, shape, colour, inflammation, oozing, change in sensation.
Additional referral information (useful for processing the referral)
- Biopsy results unless clinically contraindicated. Excision biopsy is the preferred method for biopsy suspected melanoma.
- Smoking status
- Anticoagulant therapy
- USS of lesion (for a suspicious lipoma)
- CT results – if malignancy suspected
- Photograph – with patient’s consent, where secure image transfer, identification and storage is possible
Other useful information for management (not an exhaustive list)
- Refer to Healthpathways or local guidelines
- Advise patient regarding sun avoidance and use of sun screens.
- Educate patient on skin cancer surveillance and arrange annual skin checks.
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 |
Skin lesion highly suspicious for melanoma or excision biopsy proven melanoma – including re-excision High degree of clinical suspicion Large SCC, BCC Rapidly growing skin lesions especially on the face Non-melanoma skin malignancies and any of the following:
Poorly differentiated or infiltrative tumour on biopsy Soft tissue tumour with atypical features Ingrown toenail with infection having failed primary care management | Small truncal peripheral limb BCC or SCC or IEC | Benign soft tissue lesions e.g. lipoma ganglion not suitable for primary health management |
Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery
Essential information (Referral will be declined without this)
- General Referral Information
- Medications
- Patients' co-morbidities
- History of the condition including previous treatments tried and efficacy
- ELFT FBC Iron studies results
- Any abnormal imaging reports
Additional referral information (useful for processing the referral)
- Previous endoscopic procedures (date, report and histology results)
Other useful information for management (not an exhaustive list)
- Refer to Healthpathways or local guidelines
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 |
Upper GI symptoms with anaemia, weight loss, epigastric pain Dysphagia Para-oesophageal hernia with symptoms suggesting recurrent obstruction Abnormal imaging results suggesting oesophageal gastric pathology | Severe volume reflux with episodes suggestive of aspiration and /or severe impairment to quality of life Para-oesophageal hernia Barrett's Oesophagus with low grade dysplasia | GORD resistant to medical therapy Barrett’s oesophagus without evidence of dysplasia |
Other General Surgery Condition
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
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Conditions not in scope
Non-routine conditions
- Cardio-thoracic surgery - please refer your patient to QLD Health - Metro South or QLD Health - Metro North
- Transplant Surgery - please refer your patient to QLD Health - Metro South or QLD Health - Metro North
- Aesthetic or cosmetic surgery
- Appearance medicine
- Abdominal lipectomy
- Breast reduction / augmentation
- Vasectomy
- Reversal of Vasectomy