Referral to emergency

If any of the following are present or suspected, please refer the patient to the emergency department (via ambulance if necessary) or seek emergent medical advice if in a remote region.

  • collapse/seizure/altered level of consciousness/new neurological deficit
  • severe and increasing headache
  • symptoms or signs of raised intracranial pressure which may include:
    • severe and increasing headaches
    • headaches worse in the morning
    • headache exacerbated by coughing, sneezing, straining or bending forwards
    • papilloedema
    • pulsatile tinnitus
    • visual symptoms including transient reduction in vision with straining

Please contact the on-call registrar to discuss your concerns prior to referral.

For clinical advice, please telephone the relevant metropolitan Local Health Network switchboard and ask to speak to the relevant specialty service.

Women's and Children's Health Network

Category 1 (appointment clinically indicated within 30 days)

  • all intracerebral and spinal space-occupying lesions confirmed on imaging

Category 2 (appointment clinically indicated within 90 days)

  • asymptomatic skull-based lesions without intracranial extension
  • asymptomatic non-lytic spinal nerve lesions without any extension into the spinal canal

Category 3 (appointment clinically indicated within 365 days)

  • nil

For information on referral forms and how to import them, please view general referral information.

Essential referral information

Completion required before first appointment to ensure patients are ready for care. Please indicate in the referral if the patient is unable to access mandatory tests or investigations as they incur a cost or are unavailable locally.

  • identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander  
  • identify within your referral if you feel your patient is from a vulnerable population, under guardianship/out-of-home care arrangements and/or requires a third party to receive correspondence on their behalf/li>
  • interpreter required
  • relevant past medical/surgical history
  • current medications, allergies
  • history of presenting complaint including:
    • onset
    • duration
    • concerning features
  • neurological examination findings
  • confirmation of diagnosis on imaging and associated reports including location, company, and accession number

suspected/confirmed pituitary lesions require the following additional investigations:

  • optometrist assessment/report if available or referral to ophthalmology for assessment
  • referral to endocrinology
  • pathology tests:
    • prolactin
    • random cortisol
    • growth hormone
    • insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF1)
    • thyroid function tests