The Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) Foot and Ankle outpatient clinics (part of the RAH Orthopaedic Unit) provide assessment and treatment services for patients living in the Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN) area who suffer from adult degenerative foot and ankle disorders and lower limb fractures.
Services are also provided to patients referred from rural and remote areas.
For more information please view the Orthopaedic clinic - Foot and ankle outpatient service in CALHN web page.
Services include:
- Foot and ankle disorders
- Assessment and treatment
- Inpatient admission
Appointment location
RAH outpatient appointment location
Outpatient Department, Level 3G. Royal Adelaide Hospital Port Road SA 5000
Clinic times
RAH clinics operate once a month on Mondays and Wednesday afternoons.
Referrals to RAH
All referrals are triaged by the service according to clinical urgency. Patients who are unstable and requiring immediate assessment should be sent directly to the Emergency Department.
To refer your patient, follow the outpatient service information, triage and referral guidelines, complete and fax a referral to us. For urgent referrals, also contact the orthopaedic registrar to discuss the case.
To ensure appropriate and timely triage, include all demographic and clinical details as well as relevant investigation results.
If you are concerned about any delay of the appointment or if there is any deterioration in your patient’s condition, contact the Registrar on call on (08) 7074 0000.
Clinical features indicative or potentially serious pathology
- Swelling, erythema, marked reduction in range of motion of a joint (septic arthritis)
- Acute deformity following recent trauma
To make a referral:
| RAH | Fax: (08) 7074 6247 | ||
| Telephone: 1300 153 853 |
Non-urgent referrals will be allocated to the next available appointment. Non-urgent referrals will incur a wait. The waiting time for appointment will vary and be dependent on the demand for this service and the medical urgency of the patient’s condition.
Foot and ankle problems not considered high priority (see related resources below for eligibility and referral criteria) may wait a longer time for an appointment. Please consider other options and do not refer to multiple providers regarding the same presenting complaint.
Referrals unlikely to be offered an appointment
Foot and ankle clinics do not provide second opinions for patients already under the care of other orthopaedic surgeons. Transfer of care from another specialist may be accepted.
Referrals from other outpatient clinics in the RAH may not be accepted unless specific foot and ankle input is required for the condition for which the patient is already attending a hospital outpatient clinic.
Consultants and registrars of other clinics should consider whether incidental non-threatening musculoskeletal problems could be managed by a patient’s general practitioner and whether the problem merits specialist resources.
Discharge guidelines and information
If the patients or their general practitioner is concerned about a deterioration in the medical condition (see related resources below and clinical features indicative of potentially serious pathology above) and a foot and ankle assessment is required earlier than planned, a phone call to the orthopaedic registrar on call through the switchboard on (08) 7074 0000 will allow this to be discussed.
Patients whose medical condition has stabilised or resolved and for whom no further appointment has been made will be formally discharged. If a foot and ankle assessment is required again, a new referral, preferably a named referral should be faxed to the orthopaedic unit on (08) 7074 6247
Alternate care options / health information for low priority
Not all patients with foot and ankle conditions can be offered appointments in CALHN clinics.
In most cases, the key to appropriate management is a detailed history and examination. Options for obtaining further information regarding various foot and ankle conditions and to provide guidance for assessment, investigations and management are listed under the below pathways and resources.
Health Pathways
Health Pathways South Australia is an online portal designed to be used by general practice at the point of care to guide best practice assessment, management and referral of common clinical conditions.