Specialty: Vascular
Age group: Adult
Direct to an emergency department for:
- Sepsis or acutely unwell due to infection
- Critical lower limb ischaemia with necrosis, pain or ulceration
- Suspected acute limb ischaemia
- Rapidly deteriorating ulceration or necrosis.
Criteria for referral to public hospital specialist clinic services
- Non-healing ulceration present for more than one month with no reduction in size despite medical management
- Chronic ischaemic signs and symptoms with ulceration
- Excessively painful ulcers.
Information to be included in the referral
Information that must be provided:
- Current medication list including any antibiotics
- Wound history and location
- Current management, including the dressings being used
- Recent wound swabs
- Recent vascular imaging.
Provide if available:
- Medical history
- Recent pathology tests
- X-rays or other imaging
- Current podiatry treatment.
Additional comments
The Summary and referral information lists the information that should be included in a referral request.
Referrals should only be directed to a vascular specialist clinic if a lower leg ulcer service is not available.
Where appropriate and available, the referral may be directed to an alternative specialist clinic or service.
Referral to a public hospital is not appropriate for
Not applicable.
Reviewed 26 May 2025