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Bay of Plenty

Find the referral acceptance and access criteria for child health in the Bay of Plenty.

Referral acceptance

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

Access criteria

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 less than 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 regarding cancer
  • Headache with nocturnal waking or vomiting
  • Weight loss in infancy
  • Developmental regression
  • Potential parental fatigue or abuse
  • Heart murmur less than 6 weeks of age
  • Neonatal screening abnormality – CF, CAH, hypothyroid etc
  • Infantile seizures or spasms
  • Significant or 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 less than 2 years
  • Persistent cough
  • Feeding difficulties

3. Routine 
(seen within 4 months)
  • Family or 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 more than 2 years of age
  • Failed Bay Navigator or virtual clinic advice