Referral to emergency
If any of the following are present or suspected, please refer the patient to the emergency department (via ambulance if necessary) or seek emergent medical advice if in a remote region.
- thunderclap headache
- collapse/seizures/altered level of consciousness/new neurological deficit
- suspected subarachnoid/intracranial haemorrhage
Please contact the on-call registrar to discuss your concerns prior to referral.
For clinical advice, please telephone the relevant metropolitan Local Health Network switchboard and ask to speak to the relevant specialty service.
Central Adelaide Local Health Network
- Royal Adelaide Hospital (08) 7074 0000
Southern Adelaide Local Health Network
- Flinders Medical Centre (08) 8204 5511
Category 1 (appointment clinically indicated within 30 days)
- aneurysms greater than 10mm
- new onset cranial nerve palsy with aneurysm confirmed on imaging
- non thunderclap headache with neurovascular malformation confirmed on imaging
- spinal vascular malformation with progressive neurological deficits
Category 2 (appointment clinically indicated within 90 days)
- aneurysm of brain and spine without concerning features
- cavernoma associated with seizure disorder or transient neurological deficit
- incidental finding arteriovenous malformation (AVM) of brain or spine
Category 3 (appointment clinically indicated within 365 days)
- incidental finding of cavernoma
- genetic counselling
- collagen vascular screening
- risk assessment/provision of documentation for driver’s license
For more on outpatient referrals, see the general referral information page.
Essential referral information
Completion required before first appointment to ensure patients are ready for care. Please indicate in the referral if the patient is unable to access mandatory tests or investigations as they incur a cost or are unavailable locally.
- identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
- relevant social history, including identifying if you feel your patient is from a vulnerable population and/or requires a third party to receive correspondence on their behalf
- interpreter required
- relevant past medical/surgical history including:
- collagen vascular/connective tissue diseases
- polycystic kidney disease
- family history of vascular/connective tissue diseases
- hypertension including historical control for example, controlled versus poorly controlled
- current medications, allergies
- smoking/vaping history
- history of presenting complaint including:
- onset
- duration
- concerning features
- confirmation of diagnosis on imaging and associated reports including location, company, and accession number
