CPAC005
CLINICAL PRIORITY ACCESS CRITERIA
Service Category: GASTROENTEROLOGY
Category Definitions:
3.
4.
5.
1.
Immediate
Seen and/or
treatment within 24
hours
2.
Urgent
Seen and/or
treatment within 1
month
– Seen and/or treatment within
24 hours
Urgent
– Seen and/or treatment within 1
month
Semi-Urgent
– Seen and/or treatment within 3
months
Non-urgent / Routine – Seen and/or treatment within 6
months
Staged
1. Immediate
2.
Category
Clinic Type: Outpatient (Assessment) or
Endoscopy
Examples
(not an exhaustive list)
Criteria


Life threatening GI and liver
conditions.
Major risk if treatment delayed and
where patient history suggests major
clinical pathology or functional
impairment requiring prompt
assessment and review.

Acute upper GI tract bleeding.

Acute severe lower GI tract bleeding.

Oesophageal Foreign Bodies.

Severe/Fulminant Colitis

Severe/Fulminant Liver Failure.

Severe Biliary Sepsis.

Severe Diarrhoea with dehydration.

Malignant Obstructive Jaundice (less
than 1 week).
Decompensated liver disease for
assessment (less than 1 week).
GI Ca (less than 2 weeks).





Radiological evidence of large
polyp/malignant gastric ulcer.
Suspected gastric outlet obstruction.
Iron deficiency anaemia.
 Altered Bowel Habit.
(Persons > 40 years and/or alarm
symptoms/abnormal baseline lab
investigations and/or family history of
cancer/IBD (reference first assessment))






Last updated February 2006
Severe Chronic Diarrhoea.
Dysphagia.
Severe IBD and assessment of
severity and extent of IBD.
Visible Rectal Bleeding (large
volume).
Recent upper GI bleed.
Significant weight loss.
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CPAC005
3.
Semi-Urgent
Seen and/or
treatment within 3
months


4.
Non-urgent
Routine
Seem and/or
treatment within 6
months

5.
Planned / Staged

Condition resulting in moderate,
physical, social or economic
disruption.
Moderate functional impairment.
Minimal functional impairment with
minimal restriction of social and/or
economic activity.
To achieve optimal outcomes.

Dyspepsia with / without alarm
symptoms (see NOTE).

Suspected malabsorption syndromes.

Mild diarrhoea.

Intermittent vomiting and/or weight
loss.






Screening for familial Cancer.
Altered bowel habits with no alarm
symptoms less than 40 years and no
family history of colon cancer.
Non-cardiac chest pain.
Malabsorption.
Suspected IBS.
Family history of bowel cancer.

Complex GI diagnostic problems.
NOTE:



Alarm symptoms: Anaemia, weight loss, anorexia and vomiting.
It should be recognised that most gastroenterology “treatment” is provided in an outpatient or sameday
endoscopy setting.
Children may require more urgent priority, of Paediatric Medicine criteria. Discussion with a Paediatrician
should take place if there is concern.
Last updated February 2006
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