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Bay of Plenty

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

Referral acceptance

Referral acceptance

Orthopaedic 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.

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 as follows:

First specialist assessments

Wait times
Priority 1 Accepted
Priority 2 Accepted
Priority 3 Accepted
Priority 4 Declined
Priority 5 Declined


At first specialist assessment (FSA), patients are assessed by a specialist and if surgery is required, patients are then prioritised using the National Orthopaedic CPAC tool.  A 0-100 score is allocated to each patient.

Prior to acceptance for surgery, patients are assessed in an 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.

Surgery acceptance is as follows:

CPAC 65+ Accepted
CPAC 64 and below Declined

Access criteria

Access criteria

Category

Criteria

Immediate priority 1 (next clinic)

  • Suspected malignancy

  • New profound neurological deficit

  • Major risk of permanent disability through delay

  • Trauma not requiring immediate intervention

  • Major risk of permanent disability through delay

Priority 2 (next available clinic slot) 

  • All paediatric referral

  • Severe functional impairment – requiring considerable assistance ADL, community living at risk

  • Severe pain – sleep regularly disturbed, on maximal analgesic control

  • Employment seriously restricted

Priority 3 (4 months)

  • Moderate functional impairment – some assistance required ADL

  • Moderate pain – sleep disturbance

  • Exhausted non-operative measures, including physiotherapy, lifestyle modification, on modest analgesic control

  • Moderate risk of permanent disability through delay

  • Rapidly progressive deformities

  • Minor cases that have failed non-operative management e.g., carpal tunnels, trigger finger
Priority 4 (Not accepted)

  • Mild functional impairment – mild restriction of leisure activity

  • Mild episodic pain – adequate analgesic control

  • Low risk of permanent disability through delay

  • Employment being maintained
Priority 5 (Not accepted)

  • No or minimal functional impairment

  • No or minimal, episodic pain – analgesics seldom required

  • No or minimal risk of permanent disability through delay