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Diabetes and Endocrinology · Refer Your Patient
Diabetes mellitus
Copied from the official Gold Coast Health condition page (27 Aug 2026). Hospital triage assigns the official category. Live source: Refer Your Patient — Diabetes mellitus.
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Cat 1 · 30 days
appointment within 30 calendar days. - Pregnancy in patient with existing diabetes. For optimum care, patient should be seen within 1 week
- Newly diagnosed GDM. For optimum care, patient should be seen within 1 week.
- Poorly controlled diabetes with recent deterioration despite escalation of therapy
- Major hypoglycaemic episode (assistance has been required by a third party)
- Existing type 1 diabetes with newly diagnosed coeliac disease
- Existing diabetes with recent unintentional weight loss (> 5% of body weight over a month period)
- Diabetes requiring optimisation in the presence of severe vascular complications, for example stage 3 CKD, proliferative retinopathy, gastroparesis
- Diabetes with disordered eating
- Diabetes related foot ulcer – refer to high-risk foot criteria
- Post DKA Admission. For optimum care , face to face or telephone review should be seen within 1 week
Cat 2 · 90 days
appointment within 90 calendar days. *The following category 2 cases can be referred to local/regional general physician if endocrinologist access is not locally available.
- Diabetes requiring optimisation in the presence of uncontrolled risk factors for chronic vascular disease (CVD)*
- Unsatisfactorily controlled diabetes with recent deterioration despite escalation of therapy (HbA1c 64-86mmol/mol or 8-10%)*
- High-risk (but currently not ulcerated) foot in client with diabetes*
- Pre-pregnancy planning
- Suspected monogenic diabetes
- Private or commercial driver's licence who require a new or renewal of conditional licence (not available at all sites)
- Stable type 1 diabetes
- For consideration or commencement of continuous glucose monitoring or continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion pump[BS6] .(NDSS | Access subsidised continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and flash glucose monitoring (Flash GM) products) [#_msocom_6; https://www.ndss.com.au/about-the-ndss/cgm-access/]
NB. If referral for consideration of insulin pump treatment please include information regarding whether the person with diabetes has appropriate private health insurance
Cat 3 · 365 days
appointment within 365 calendar days. - Self-management education or difficulties in managing diabetes in the absence of adequate community resources
Essential referral information
Referral will be returned without this. If a mandatory test cannot be obtained, say so in the referral.
- Type of diabetes and duration of disease
- Details of all treatments offered and efficacy
- Medication history
- Presence of any complications and details when screening last performed
- Height, weight, BMI
- BP
- History of smoking
- HbA1c (current and previous results)
- FBC
- ELFT
- Fasting lipids – cholesterol LDL HDL Tg results
- Urine albumin: creatinine ratio
If a specific test result cannot be obtained due to access, financial, religious, cultural or consent reasons a clinical override may be requested. This reason must be clearly articulated in the body of the referral.
Out of scope / wrong door
The following conditions are out of scope for this service:
- Pre-diabetes
- Stable, well-controlled type 2 diabetes
- Newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes and not acutely unwell
- Referrals where the primary problem requiring attention is not directly related to the diabetes and should be directed to another speciality service e.g. chest pain for investigation should go to cardiology
- Dietary advice for weight reduction, high cholesterol, hypertension or CVD in patients with diabetes
- Newly diagnosed primary hypothyroidism, including subclinical hypothyroidism – Note: in women of child bearing age who are pregnant or wishing to become pregnant or not using contraception, thyroxine should be commenced and titrated, aiming for a TSH less than 2.5
- Positive thyroid antibodies with normal thyroid function
- Osteopaenia
- Routine uncomplicated osteoporosis
Parent service: Diabetes and Endocrinology
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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