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Direct to an appropriate emergency department for an ENT assessment:

  • Sudden or new mass or lump associated with difficulty in breathing or swallowing
  • Sialadenitis with difficulty in breathing
  • Ludwig's angina.

Immediately contact the ENT registrar to arrange an urgent ENT assessment for:

  • Acute inflammatory neck mass with redness, pain or increased swelling.

Criteria for referral to public hospital specialist clinic services

  • Confirmed head and neck malignancy
  • New suspicious solid mass, or cystic neck lumps, present for more than four weeks
  • New suspicious solid mass, or cystic neck lumps, in patents with a previous head / neck malignancy
  • Sialadenitis.

Information to be included in the referral

Information that must be provided

  • CT scan of neck, with contrast where appropriate (preferred) or ultrasound.

Provide if available

Any of the following:

  • History of smoking
  • Excessive alcohol intake
  • Full blood count
  • Fine needle aspiration biopsy.

Additional comments

The Summary and referral information lists the information that should be included in a referral request.

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.