CPAC022
CLINICAL PRIORITY ACCESS CRITERIA
Service Category: RESPIRATORY MEDICINE
Category Definitions:
Category
1.
Immediate
Treatment within
24 hours
1.
2.
3.
4.
Patient Type: Outpatient (Assessment)
Immediate
Urgent
Semi-urgent
Routine
_
–
–
–
Treatment within 24 hours
Seen within 2 weeks
Seen within 1 month
Seen within 2 months
Criteria
Examples
(not an exhaustive list)
Severe acute respiratory disease








Infection
Neoplasia
Airway
Parenchymal
Pleura
Extra Thoracic/neurologic
Vascular







2.
Urgent
Seen within 2
weeks

Major clinical risk if treatment
delayed.

Serious infections






Last updated February 2006
Disabling, stable or gradually
progressive airways disease not
requiring admission but needing
specialist assessment.
Suspected Neoplastic disease with
significant symptoms.
Other significant respiratory
pathology
Proven infectious or very likely
infectious TB (eg cavitatory or
bronchopneumonic)
Severe pneumonia
Massive haemoptysis
Acute asthma; complicated COPD;
inhaled foreign body
Decompensated interstitial lung
disease
Pneumothorax and effusion
Guillian Barre Syndrome
Suspected pulmonary embolus
Possible infectious TB (eg. Minor
upper lobe infiltration with suspicion
of TB).
Other serious infections with
compromised immunity (incl AIDS,
chemo)
Cystic Fibrosis (uncontrolled
infections, increasing symptoms).


Severe COPD with complications.
Gradually worsening chronic asthma



Suspected lung cancer.
Recent significant haemoptysis
SVC obstruction.

Vasculitis lung.
 Primary pulmonary hypertension
 Interstitial lung disease.
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CPAC022
3.
Semi-Urgent
Seen within 1
month

Major/moderate function impairment
with moderate clinical risk requiring
assessment and review.

Less severe variants of Cat. 1



Major GP diagnostic respiratory
dilemmas

Disorders of excessive sleepiness.

Extra-pulmonary thoracic disorders.
Other categories of TB i.e.
extrapulmonary, smear –ve, +ve urine
culture, +ve histology
Assessment for domicilliary oxygen


Dyspnoea of uncertain cause
Respiratory disease associated with
complicating extra pulmonary disease

Severe OSA



Respiratory muscle impairment
Major chest wall deformity
Extensive pleural disease

4.
Routine
Seen within 2
months


Paediatric – adult transfer
Past history suggests moderate
functional impairment where clinical
assessment and review may be
beneficial.

TB contacts
Last updated February 2006
Cystic Fibrosis






Moderate Obstructive Sleep Apnoea
Moderate COPD
Pleural Plaques
“Stable” radiologic abnormalities
Chronic Cough
Asymptomatic parenchymal disease

Mantoux +ve healthcare workers,
other TB contacts, Refugees (This is
currently a Public Health
responsibility – Perth Chest Clinic, Ph
9325 3922)
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