The Northern Health Colorectal service is run by specialist Colorectal Surgeons, who are members of the Colorectal Surgical Society of Australia & New Zealand, with the support of their Fellow & Registrar. The service runs clinics at both the Northern Hospital: Thursday mornings (Clinic D) & Monday mornings (Clinic A & D) with some Wednesday & Thursday afternoon clinics and at Broadmeadows Hospital (Specialist Consulting Clinics) on Fridays.
The Colorectal Surgical Clinic service sees patients with a variety of disorders of the bowel and the anus & rectum.
Colorectal cancer (bowel cancer), inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative colitis, and a number of other bowel diseases such as diverticular disease are managed through this clinic.
The Colorectal clinic also provides consultation for patients who based on either symptoms or family history or past history are at risk of either the development of Colorectal cancer or pre-malignant diseases such as polyps.
The Colorectal Clinic also sees patients who have been found to have a positive Faecal Occult Blood test through patient participation in the National Bowel Cancer Screening program or through GP screening and provides a service also to patients with overt rectal bleeding, alteration in bowel habit or unexplained iron deficiency anaemia.
Colorectal Surgeons who work through the Colorectal service are trained in both laparoscopic (keyhole), open, hybrid & trans-anal colorectal surgery as well as being accredited and trained in colonoscopy & gastroscopy.
Anal diseases such as anal fistula, anal fissure & haemorrhoids are also managed through this clinic along with less common anal diseases such as anal Crohn’s disease & anal cancer.
What to expect from the service?
Patients will be seen by a specialist Colorectal surgeon or on some occasions by our Fellow or Registrar under supervision of a Colorectal Surgery specialist.
Patients will give a history of their symptoms and previous surgery & investigations and will then be examined. Abdominal examination and rectal examination are common examinations performed in the Colorectal clinic.
Patients may require further tests such as colonoscopy or colonoscopy and gastroscopy or blood tests, CT scans, MRI scans or Ultrasound scans.
Patients may require surgery and may need to sign a consent for surgery (or colonoscopy) or may be managed without surgery.
Appointment information
How to refer:
A referral is required from your General Practitioner in order to be seen by a specialist in the Colorectal Surgical clinic. New consultations or requests for colonoscopy require a standard 12 month GP referral.
Patients who have had treatment for Bowel Cancer require an Indefinite referral and are usually followed up for 5 years after operation.
What to bring:
Please bring with you/have available the following items:
- Patient must bring films to appointment (eg: CT scans of chest, abdomen & pelvis)
- Medicare Card
- Private Health Insurance card (if insured)
- Reports of previous colonoscopies/gastroscopies (including recently performed colonoscopies if done in centres other than Northern Hospital or Broadmeadows Hospital)
- Reports of pathology: eg: patients who have had polyps or tumours biopsied outside Northern Health
- Recent blood tests eg: Full blood examination, Iron studies, CEA (tumour marker for patients who have previously been diagnosed with bowel cancer), U & E, LFT
- Stool tests: patients who are being referred for positive Faecal Occult blood tests, or Stool microscopy & culture for patients with diarrhoea
- Updated accurate list of medications
- Letter from National Bowel Cancer Screening program if that is reason for attendance
- Name & Clinic address of your General Practitioner
- You may wish to bring a close family member or support person