Specialty: Vascular
Age group: Adult
Direct to an emergency department for:
- Sepsis or acutely unwell due to foot infection
- Critical lower limb ischaemia with necrosis, pain or ulceration
- Suspected acute limb ischaemia
- Rapidly deteriorating ulceration or necrosis
- Suspected foreign body in the foot.
Criteria for referral to public hospital specialist clinic services
- Non-healing foot ulceration present for more than 1 month with no reduction in size despite medical management
- Red hot swollen foot (active Charcot foot)
- Foot osteomyelitis with ulceration
- Chronic ischaemic signs and symptoms of the lower limb with foot ulceration
- Neuropathic symptoms associated with deranged function and structure.
Information to be included in the referral
Information that must be provided:
- History of diabetes (e.g. year of onset, type)
- Current medication list including any antibiotics
- Wound history and location
- Current management
- Recent HbA1c and creatinine blood test
- Recent vascular imaging.
Provide if available:
- Medical history
- Recent pathology tests including wound swabs
- 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.
Note: there are also endocrinology statewide referral criteria for Diabetes-related foot complication.
Referrals should only be directed to a vascular specialist clinic if a high-risk foot 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