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.

  • suspected posterior urethral valves
  • hydronephrosis with concerning features
    • urinary tract infection with systemic features
    • pain
    • urinary retention

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.

Southern Adelaide Local Health Network

Women's and Children's Health Network

Category 1 (appointment clinically indicated within 30 days)

  • bilateral hydronephrosis
  • hydronephrosis and pain or urinary tract infection
  • proven calculi in ureter and any of the following:
    • decreased renal function and/or increasing pain
    • patients with single kidney and/or renal transplant
  • severe hydronephrosis
  • significant neonatal renal pelvic dilatation:
    • greater than 15mm (single)
    • greater than 10mm (bilateral)

Category 2 (appointment clinically indicated within 90 days)

  • hydronephrosis without concerning features as listed above

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  
  • relevant social history, including identifying 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
  • interpreter required
  • age
  • past medical/surgical/ante-natal history
  • family history of stones, metabolic disease and renal failure, congenital renal anomalies
  • current medications
  • allergies and sensitivities
  • presenting symptoms including:
    • onset
    • duration
    • concerning features
  • physical examination findings
  • height/weight
  • body mass index (BMI)
  • growth chart trends
  • blood pressure trends
  • urinalysis (dipstick) result
  • kidneys, ureters, bladder (KUB) ultrasound (US)
  • relevant pre-natal/ante-natal diagnostic/imaging reports, including location of company and accession number

Additional information to assist triage categorisation

  • pathology:
    • complete blood examination (CBE)
    • electrolytes, urea and creatinine (EUC)
    • mid-stream urine (MSU) microscopy, culture and sensitivity (M/C/S)