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Neurosurgery · Refer Your Patient
Spine
Copied from the official Gold Coast Health condition page (27 Aug 2026). Hospital triage assigns the official category. Live source: Refer Your Patient — Spine.
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Cat 1 · 30 days
appointment within 30 calendar days. - Risk irreversible deficit if not seen within 1-4 weeks
- Significant spinal nerve root compression or spinal cord compression with evolving neurological deficit
- moderate to severe sciatica with new onset reflex & muscle power deficit eg. Foot drop
- moderate to severe neck & arm pain with new onset reflex & muscle power deficit
- Spinal tumours (benign or malignant)
- Stable spinal fractures without evolving neurological deficit
- Slowly evolving cauda equina
Cat 2 · 90 days
appointment within 90 calendar days. - Appropriate category 2 patients will initially be assessed / reassessed and case managed by an expert musculoskeletal clinician through the Neurosurgical Physiotherapy Screening Service in consultation with a Neurosurgical consultant.
- Severe spinal disorders with significant functional impairment
- Acute cervical & lumbar disc prolapse with moderate to severe radicular symptoms and stable neurological signs
- Documented severe lumbar canal stenosis with significant neurogenic claudication/limitation of walking distance
- Anterolisthesis/spondylolisthesis with lower limb neurology and/or instability on x-rays
Significant scoliosis in young adult
Cat 3 · 365 days
appointment within 365 calendar days. - Appropriate category 3 patients will initially be assessed / reassessed and case managed by an expert musculoskeletal clinician through the Neurosurgical Physiotherapy Screening Service in consultation with a Neurosurgical consultant.
- Chronic cervical and lumbar disc prolapse and degenerative spinal disorders without progressive neurological deficit
- Age related degenerative changes with no neurological deficit
Essential referral information
Referral will be returned without this. If a mandatory test cannot be obtained, say so in the referral.
- Presence and duration of neurological signs and symptoms
- Presence or absence of concerning features
- age (at onset) < 16 or > 50 with new onset pain
- motor deficit e.g. foot weakness
- recent significant trauma
- weight loss (unexplained)
- previous history malignancy (however long ago)
- history of IV drug use
- previous longstanding steroid use
- recent serious illness
- recent significant infection
- Mechanism of injury
- Functional status
- Management to date (including previous spinal surgery and non-operative management)
- General medical history
- Relevant imaging reports (may include plain x-ray, CT and MRI)
Out of scope / wrong door
The following conditions are out of scope for this service:
The following are not routinely provided in a public Neurosurgery service.
- Fusion for back pain due to degenerative disease without correlating clinical symptoms or signs of neural compression
- Back and neck chronic pain – degenerative changes without acute neurology [https://www.goldcoast.health.qld.gov.au/referrals/services/neurology]
- degenerative changes without acute neurology (please refer to Spinal CPC) (Chronic pain is defined as any pain lasting more than 6 months)
- Non-specific headache without concerning features or not requiring surgical intervention should be referred to Neurology.
- Acute spinal trauma with neurological deficit should be referred to the Spinal Injury Service at Metro South. [https://metrosouth.health.qld.gov.au/referrals/spinal-cord-injury]
- Pathology of the sacrum: refer to orthopaedics
Parent service: Neurosurgery
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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