Bay Navigator

Planned Care Services

Child Health

Referral Acceptance

Paediatric referrals are prioritised by Senior Medical Officers based on the information contained within. Additional information should be attached where available. The prioritisation tool used to triage referrals can be found below under Access Criteria. The age cut-off for new paediatric referrals is 15 years. 

All accepted referrals will be seen within a maximum waiting time of 4 months, unless there is a clinical reason for delay.


Referral acceptance is a follows: 

First Specialist Assessments

Priority 1

Accepted

Priority 2

Accepted

Priority 3

Accepted

 

Clinical Priority Access Criteria

Service Category: PAEDIATRIC MEDICINE

Patient Type: Outpatient (Assessment)

Category

Criteria

Examples
(not an exhaustive list)

1. Urgent
(seen at next available clinic and within one week)

 
  • Consider in children <3 months old
  • Sudden and significant dysfunction threatening life, limb or family
  • Major risk if assessment delayed
  • The alternative being the admission of the child
  • Concerns re. cancer
  • Headache with nocturnal waking/ vomiting
  • Weight loss in infancy
  • Developmental regression
  • Potential parental fatigue or abuse
  • Heart murmur <6 weeks of age
  • Neonatal screening abnormality – CF, CAH, hypothyroid etc
  • Infantile seizures/spasms
  • Significant/unstable asthma, epilepsy, diabetes

2. Semi-Urgent
(seen within 2-3 months)

 
  • Moderate functional impairment
  • When prolonged delay could result in hospital admission or deterioration
  • Deterioration of a known clinical disorder
  • Symptomatic murmurs
  • Anorexia
  • Headaches
  • FTT
  • Asthma stabilisation
  • Unstable epilepsy
  • Developmental delay <2 yrs
  • Persistent cough
  • Feeding difficulties

3. Routine 
(seen within 4 months)
  • Family/GP reassurance
  • Out of region referrals with stable medical issues
  • Chronic conditions and conditions with long term implications
  • Obesity
  • Growth problems/short stature
  • Family screening of genetic issues
  • Chronic skin conditions
  • Recurrent urinary tract infections
  • Allergies
  • Developmental delay >2 years of age
  • Failed Bay Navigator or virtual clinic advice
Note:
  • For those patients presenting at FSA with a problem that may require surgical intervention a referral will be made to our Tertiary provider at Waikato Hospital. If surgical treatment is indicated, the BOPDHB visiting Paediatric Surgeon, where appropriate, may be able to offer this treatment at BOPDHB.
  • Prior to acceptance for surgery, patients are assessed in Anaesthetic pre-assessment clinic to ensure they are fit for surgery.
  • All patients accepted for surgery will be treated within a maximum waiting time of 4 months, unless there is a clinical reason for delay.