Endoscopy - an Update as to how things are Advancing in the Endoscopy Service 14 Mar 2016

A new e-referral is now in the final stage of development for referral to all endoscopy services (medical and surgical).

A new e-referral is now in the final stage of development for referral to all endoscopy services (medical and surgical). The aim is for this to be standardised across the Midland Region. The team is awaiting the final software development to be completed and official release will be communicated and rolled out with education.

Urgent Colonoscopy – extensive work has been done to meet the ministry target of 75% within 10 days. We are pleased to announce that in January and February >78% of patients were scoped within this timeframe. Bay of Plenty has a high ratio of urgent referrals compared to many other DHBs and the team is looking at what may be driving this. Please can GPs use the suspected colorectal cancer e-Referral whenever appropriate. It is vital that this form contains the correct clinical information as on occasion the history given by a patient differs considerably to that in referral. This makes grading referrals more difficult and results in additional resources being used to check patient histories.

Colon polyp surveillance – the national criteria for colonoscopic polyp surveillance advise that ongoing surveillance is not indicated in those aged 75 or greater, in the absence of other symptoms. The BOPDHB Endoscopy Service have considered this advice as a group and recommend that polyp surveillance procedures should not routinely be performed in those aged 75 or greater. The service will be reviewing the current list for surveillance to identify those who are going to be 75 years or greater at date of next anticipated surveillance date and writing to the GP to advise on management going forward. Where a patient over 75 years has symptoms suggestive of disease they should be referred as per usual guidance and their previous history should be included in the referral.