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Paediatric Occupational Therapy · Refer Your Patient
Peri-operative Service
Copied from the official Gold Coast Health condition page (27 Aug 2026). Hospital triage assigns the official category. Live source: Refer Your Patient — Peri-operative Service.
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Cat 1 · 30 days
appointment within 30 calendar days. Children and young people that are between 2-16 years old and have the following:
- Preparation for procedure or surgery under general anaesthetic – booked as CAT 1-2
*Please note Cat 1’s referrals with a surgery/procedural date within 2 weeks of referral date will not be accepted.
- Preparation for a procedure or surgery under general anesthetic for a child or young person presenting with co-morbid conditions/diagnosis for that is booked for Category 2/3
- Identified concerns regarding coping and participation in the perioperative environment or current surgical admission
- Preparation for a procedure or surgery under general anesthetic for a child or young person presenting with procedural anxiety
- Preparation for a procedure or surgery under general anesthetic for a child or young person presenting/reporting previous negative hospital/procedural experience
Cat 2 · 90 days
appointment within 90 calendar days. - Preparation for a procedure or surgery under general anaesthetic for a child or young person - booked as a category 3
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.
- Date of operation – current accepted categorisation
- Known co-morbid conditions/diagnosis (ASD, ADHD, Intellectual Impairment, Developmental delay, SLP Delay, visual or hearing issues)
- Known procedural anxiety
- Identified concerns regarding coping and participation in the perioperative environment or current surgical admission
Out of scope / wrong door
- Age >16 years
- Infants clinic: over age of 6 months
- Continence: Isolated day time wetting, nighttimewetting or general toilet training
- Scar: The wounds have healed within 17 days, unless there are clearly documented risk factors (i.e infection, wound breakdown, history of poor scarring outcomes, dark skin tone, early signs of scarring) or exceptional clinical considerations.
- Procedural support: No referrals from General Practitioner or private paediatricians can be accepted. where the procedures are occurring at a facility outside of GCHHS.
- Peri-operative Service: Surgery/procedural date within 2 weeks of referral date will not be accepted or where the operation is occurring outside of the Gold Coast University Hospital.
- Participants of NDIS*
*Individual referrals can be considered on a case-by-case basis if they do not meet criteria
Parent service: Paediatric Occupational Therapy
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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