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This page contains information for general practitioners on how to refer patients aged 16 years and over to Orthopaedic services at Mater Hospital Brisbane.
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.
Mater Hospital Brisbane’s Orthopaedic team specialises in referrals for sports injuries, including knee ligament problems, primary and revision lower limb joint replacement surgery, foot and ankle conditions, shoulder conditions and general orthopaedic conditions for patients 16 years and over.
Our multidisciplinary team includes Orthopaedic surgeons, Fellows, Training Registrars, Service Manager, Clinical Nurse Consultant, and Allied Health. Many patients will have their care assessed and managed by our Clinical Nurse Consultant and Physiotherapy led clinics. Our service has excellent outpatient waiting times, with all patients receiving care within their allocated urgency Category of 1, 2 or 3.
With a dedicated research coordinator, the Orthopaedics department leads and contributes to a range of research projects to ensure our care continues to be of the highest safety and quality and at the forefront of innovation.
How to send a referral
The list below includes common traumatic injuries that require referral to emergency and should not be referred for elective / fracture clinic categorisation
Shoulder and elbow conditions
Wrist and hand
Hip and knee
Foot and ankle
Spine
Trauma and fractures
Hand trauma
Upper and lower limb trauma
Timing of first review appointments at orthopaedic outpatient’s/fracture clinic
Essential information (Referral will be declined without this)
Additional referral information (useful for processing the referral)
Other useful information for management (not an exhaustive list)
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
Acute achilles tendon rupture (may be seen in emergency or fracture clinic depending on local service)
If delayed presentation of achilles tendon rupture (>3 weeks)
A tender, nodular swelling
Functional impairment and/or pain persists despite maximal management
Skin ulceration secondary to deformity or pressure
Presence of avascular necrosis
Associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy
Functional impairment and/or pain persists despite maximal management, such as physiotherapy or managed weight loss
Suspected Malignancy
Refer directly to fracture clinic, where available, if associated with:
If associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy
The Mater offers a collaborative multidisciplinary high risk foot service for diabetic patients who have been assessed as having or developing foot complications. This may be an appropriate alternate referral pathway for your patient. Referrals to this service are managed through the Diabetes and Endocrine pathway.
Refer directly to fracture clinic if associated with:
If associated with diabetic or other progressive neuropathy (consider a referral to Mater High Risk Foot Service as an alternate pathway)
Functional impairment and pain persists despite maximal management
Past History or suspicion of malignancy
History of trauma/falls
Gradual onset pain in previously well-functioning arthroplasty
Radiological evidence of avascular necrosis of hip < 60 years of age
Acute obstructed/Locked knee (unable to reach full extension)
Multi Ligament knee injury
Knee pain Identified:
Unstable patella
Meniscal injuries (in the absence of locking)
New Pain in previously well-functioning arthroplasty
Symptoms rapidly deteriorating and causing severe disability
Some functional impairment and/or pain persists despite maximal management
**Please note Mater is not accepting referrals for Elbow conditions. Please refer to your local HHS or consider private options.
At the Mater Hospital Brisbane this condition is managed by the Neurosurgery Service Please refer to their referral guidelines and name the referral to their head of department.
At the Mater Hospital Brisbane this condition is managed by the Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery Service. Please refer to their referral guidelines and name the referral to their head of department.
Undisplaced fracture
Fracture that have been reduced satisfactorily
Delayed presentation nerve or tendon injury
Delayed presentation joint dislocation
Fracture delayed or non-union
Mal-union affecting function
Mal-union not affecting function
At the Mater Hospital Brisbane this condition is managed by the Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery Service . Please refer to their referral guidelines and name the referral to their head of department.
Clinical resources
If concerned that lump may be malignant or infective
No category 2 criteria
Symptomatic or enlarging ganglion of the wrist/hand not suitable for primary health management
** Please note Mater does not accept referrals for complex wrist conditions - see out of scope section above.
History of trauma – consider upper limb trauma criteria
Rapid deterioration in function
No Category 2 criteria
Painful/stiff wrist >3 months
Newly fixed trigger finger
Chronic fixed trigger finger
Stenosing tenosynovitis suggested by 1 or more of the following symptoms:
Failed maximal management including one steroid injection and splints
Intermittent trigger finger / stenosing tenosynovitis persists
Very frequent/continuous symptoms without weakness or wasting and any one of:
Intermittent symptoms without weakness or wasting in distribution of peripheral upper limb nerve
Ulnar entrapment neuropathy when no response to ≥ 6 months of maximal management
Mater Health offers patients the opportunity to attend bulk billed clinics. To provide your patient with the opportunity to attend a bulk billed clinic, please provide a named referral to one of the specialists listed above.
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
We provide up to date data on how long patients are waiting for their first appointment by specialty here.
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.
Content last reviewed : 13 December 2023
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