Subsequent to the development of the Adult Urology and Adult Neurology and Adult ENT Referral Access Criteria (RAC), WA Health have now released Paediatric ENT RAC.
The RAC were developed following consultation with key stakeholders such as paediatric ENT specialists, GPs and Health Service Provider clinical planners. The RAC are standardised referral criteria that provide guidance around:
- Conditions that will be seen in a public outpatient specialty (and what is excluded)
- Investigations that are required to be included with referrals to ensure effective and appropriate triage
- Indicative triage categories to assist you in discussing potential wait times with your patient.
The RAC are available via the WA Department of Health Referral Access Criteria webpage.
Providing the required information (as outlined in the RAC) will ensure referrals are processed in a timely, consistent manner, and that the patient’s first appointment will be as meaningful as possible.
Referrals that do not meet the ENT RACs will be returned to the referrer with advice to provide further supporting information or to review the patient as clinically appropriate and re-refer if the clinical situation changes.
Patients will not be provided with an appointment or placed on a waitlist until a completed referral that is consistent with the RAC is received.
All Paediatric ENT outpatient referrals to metropolitan public hospitals will continue to be submitted via the Central Referral Service (CRS). Referrals to regional (WACHS) sites are to be sent directly to the relevant site.
The CRS will ensure that all mandatory information as outlined in the RAC has been provided before allocating the referral to the appropriate hospital.
A further three speciality RACs (ophthalmology, plastic surgery and respiratory) are also in development and will be published over the coming months.
Further information, including a series of FAQs, is available on the WA Department of Health (DOH) Referral Access Criteria webpage or for specific questions email the DOH project team at DOHSpecialistRAC@health.wa.gov.au.