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Constipation and encopresis
Copied from the official Gold Coast Health condition page (27 Aug 2026). Hospital triage assigns the official category. Live source: Refer Your Patient — Constipation and encopresis.
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Cat 1 · 30 days
appointment within 30 calendar days. - Associated with weight loss or vomiting
- Infant less than 1 year
- Marked abdominal distension and faltering growth (failure to thrive)
- Hirschsprung disease (suspected new)
- Consideration of ACE procedure for patients with severe constipation and/or encopresis should be referred by MDT
- A child currently in out of home care (OOHC) or at risk of entering or leaving OOHC, where they have previously been on a waiting list for this problem and were removed without receiving a service
Cat 2 · 90 days
appointment within 90 calendar days. - Past history of surgical pathology predisposing to constipation and/or encopresis (e.g. Hirschsprung disease, anorectal malformation, cloaca, spina bifida, antegrade continence stoma)
Cat 3 · 365 days
appointment within 365 calendar days. - No category 3 criteria
Essential referral information
Referral will be returned without this. If a mandatory test cannot be obtained, say so in the referral.
- Duration of symptoms
- Report presence or absence of concerning features
- Infant less than one year
- Severe recurrent abdominal pain
- Weight loss
- Confirmation of out of home care (OOHC) (where appropriate)
Out of scope / wrong door
The following conditions are out of scope for this service:
- Cosmetic not related to congenital anomalies/abnormalities
- Conditions of the mature breast
- Circumcisions social/religious reasons
- disorders of post pubertal menstruation and
- conditions of pregnancy
- Disorders of post pubertal menstruation conditions of pregnancy
- Bariatric Service
Parent service: Paediatric Surgery
Send outpatient referrals to
- Smart Referrals preferred (Best Practice or Medical Director)
- Medical Objects GQ42150009Z (lookup qh → QHEALTH, GOLD COAST HEALTH OUTPATIENT)
- HealthLink EDI Qldgchsd
- Fax (07) 5687 4497 — Booking and Referral Centre
- Post: Booking and Referral Centre, Gold Coast University Hospital, 1 Hospital Boulevard, Southport QLD 4215
- Clinic enquiries 1300 559 083
How to refer — full order
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