Varicose Veins Threshold for Secondary Care 10 Apr 2017

There have been some questions about varicose veins and the level for threshold for being seen in secondary service. The grades can be found on Bay Navigator under Elective Services. Currently the DHB is seeing 2B and above. A note from the vascular surgeons below: 

There have been some questions about varicose veins and the level for threshold for being seen in secondary service. The grades can be found on Bay Navigator under Elective Services. Currently the DHB is seeing 2B and above. A note from the vascular surgeons below: 

Uncomplicated varicose veins are graded as routine, (grade 3) and at the present time the surgical service is not seeing routine grades of any condition for a FSA. This does not imply clinicians have made a decision that veins do not benefit from assessment or treatment, and by grading 3 we have not rejected the referral- which would be grade 4.

Perhaps the 'rejection letter ' should make clear that the clinical grading indicates that the referral has been accepted by clinicians but the DHB is not in a position to offer outpatient assessment to anything other than urgent or semi urgent referrals.

Veins that are associated with skin changes of chronic venous insufficiency, history of ulceration, or thrombophlebitis are graded higher than routine and seen in clinic , and if found to be the case offered treatment. Occasional exceptions- eg extensive varicose veins in a young patient might also be graded higher than routine.