This site contains the South Australian Clinical Prioritisation Criteria (CPC) for most frequently referred ENT conditions.

ENT conditions

Please note this is not an exhaustive list of all conditions for outpatient services and does not exclude consideration for referral unless specifically stipulated in the ENT exclusions section.

Out of scope

Not all medical conditions are covered by the CPC, as certain conditions may be considered out of scope or managed by other specialist services:

  • neuromuscular dysphagia - consider referral to paediatric medicine
  • oesophageal stricture/motility disorder/suspected malignancy - consider referral to paediatric gastroenterology
  • prominent ears – refer to plastic and reconstructive surgery Corrective Ear Procedures CPC
  • resolving soft food bolus - consider referral to paediatric gastroenterology

Exclusions for public specialist outpatient services

Not all ENT conditions are appropriate for referral into the South Australian public health system. The following are not routinely provided in a public specialist outpatient service:

  • chronic tinnitus without symptoms including:
    • vertigo
    • hearing loss
    • otalgia
    • otorrhoea
    • balance disturbance
  • auditory processing disorder
  • rhinoplasty for cosmetic purposes only
  • tongue tie

Emergency information

See the individual condition pages for more specific emergency information.

Feedback

We welcome requests for further information or feedback on the CPC and website, please refer to the relevant form below.

Please email the completed form to Health.CPC@sa.gov.au.


Review

The ENT CPC will be reviewed in:

  • adult conditions — June 2024
  • paediatric conditions — March 2026

Evidence statement