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Referral to Allergy/Clinical Immunology Services

This webpage includes the following information:

Referral to a Clinical Immunology/Allergy Specialist | ASCIA Guide for Referral to a Clinical Immunology/Allergy Specialist | ASCIA Management Summary for Allergic Conditions | ASCIA Event Record and Clinical History Form for Allergic Reactions | Standard of Care for Transition from Paediatric to Adult Allergy Services | Adrenaline Device PBS Authority Form | ASCIA Management Summary for Immune Deficiency Disorders  

Referral to a Clinical Immunology/Allergy Specialist

Clinical immunology/allergy specialists provide medical care for patients in Australia and New Zealand with the following immune system disorders:

  • Allergic diseases (including food, drug and insect/tick allergies, anaphylaxis, allergic rhinitis, eczema and asthma)
  • Autoimmune diseases (including vasculitis and other connective tissue diseases)
  • Immune deficiencies (inborn errors of immunity including primary immune deficiencies, secondary immune deficiencies and transplantation)
Clinical immunology/allergy specialists are Full members of the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) and are listed by region on the ASCIA website Locate a Specialist section

Further information about clinical immunology/allergy specialists is avialable at:

What is a clinical immunology/allergy specialist? 

Information about training to be a clinical immunology/allergy specialist 

 

ASCIA Guide for Referral to a Clinical Immunology/Allergy Specialist

Referral to a clinical immunology/allergy specialist should be considered for diagnosis and management of patients who have:

  1. Previously had a life threatening severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis)
  2. Complex multiple allergic diseases (e.g. allergic rhinitis and asthma or eczema)
  3. Confirmed or suspected IgE mediated allergy to foods, drugs, insects or occupational allergens
  4. Food or drug allergies, to undergo medically supervised allergen challenges
  5. Insect or respiratory allergy, when allergen immunotherapy is contemplated
  6. Continuing poor control of asthma, despite regular use of asthma medication
  7. Confirmed or suspected chronic urticaria (hives) and/or angioedema
  8. Confirmed or suspected immune deficiencies (e.g with recurrent or unusual infections)
  9. Confirmed or suspected immune deficiencies (e.g with recurrent or unusual swellings)
  10. Confirmed or suspected autoimmune or autoinflammatory diseases (e.g. with unexplained fevers or weight loss)

ASCIA is in the process of developing template forms to facilitate referrals from GPs and other medical practitioners to clinical immunology/allergy specialists. The template forms will be available on this webpage. 

Information about the referral process in Australia is available at https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/what-is-a-referral

ASCIA Management Summary for Allergic Conditions

This form includes type in fields and tick boxes that can be completed by a doctor to support a referral to a clinical immunology/allergy specialist and/or GP. The aim of this form is to improve the referral process and support continuity of care, including transition of young adults from paediatric to adult medical care. The completed form can be saved and emailed, or printed out, and is available open access on the ASCIA website:

www.allergy.org.au/hp/anaphylaxis/ascia-management-summary-allergic-conditions

Referral Templates for Allergic Conditions are in development

ASCIA Event Record for Allergic Reactions

This form includes type in fields and tick boxes that can be completed by the patient (or their parent/carer) and provided to the patient’s doctor or nurse practitioner before, or at the time of their appointment. The completed form can be saved and emailed, or printed out, and is available open access on the ASCIA website: 

www.allergy.org.au/hp/anaphylaxis/anaphylaxis-event-record

ASCIA Clinical History Form for Allergic Reactions

This form includes type in fields and tick boxes that can be completed by the patient (or their parent/carer) and provided to the patient’s doctor or nurse practitioner before, or at the time of their appointment. The completed form can be saved and emailed, or printed out. 

www.allergy.org.au/hp/anaphylaxis/clinical-history-form-allergic-reactions

This form includes four sections: 

  • SECTION 1: PATIENT DETAILS - to be completed for new patients, or if details have changed.
  • SECTION 2: GENERAL INFORMATION - includes 10 questions about the patient’s clinical history.
  • SECTION 3: EVENT RECORD FOR ALLERGIC REACTIONS - this also available as a separate form to complete if there are multiple allergic reactions. 
  • SECTION 4: FURTHER INFORMATION - for details about the patient’s clinical history not covered in other sections.

Standard of Care for Transition from Paediatric to Adult Allergy Services

As part of the Shared Care for Allergy project, the National Allergy Council has developed a national standard of care for the transition of patients from paediatric (children’s) to adult allergy services. The transition of care standard is for public hospitals and health services, but private health services can also use it.

https://nationalallergycouncil.org.au/projects/shared-care-for-allergy/transition

Adrenaline Device PBS Authority Form

This form can be used to request an authority from a clinical immunology/allergy specialist for an initial PBS Authority prescription of EpiPen® or EpiPen Jr® or Anapen® 500 adrenaline (epinephrine) injector devices. The form has been updated in July 2024 to include Anapen® 500, and to make it easier to find on the ASCIA website. 

When completing the form please refer to ASCIA Guidelines - Adrenaline (Epinephrine) Injector Prescription - www.allergy.org.au/hp/anaphylaxis/adrenaline-injector-prescription 

www.allergy.org.au/hp/anaphylaxis/adrenaline-authority-form

Management Summary for Immune Deficiency Disorders  

This resource is in development.

In the meantime the following ASCIA resources are available:

ASCIA Treatment Summary for Patients on Immunoglobulin Therapy

ASCIA Subcutaneous Immunoglobulin (SCIg) Treatment Plan

 

Webpage updated October 2024