Jaundice Hotline / Rapid access clinic

Service Information:

• The Jaundice Hotline is a rapid access clinic for patients presenting with painless jaundice.
   
• It provides access to two clinics per week (on Tuesdays and Thursdays) at the Royal Cornwall Hospital.
   
• Timescale is similar to that of the fast-track suspected cancer referrals.

 

 

Inclusion Criteria:

• Painless jaundice (with or without features suggestive of hepatobiliary malignancy) with no exclusion criteria (see below).

 

Exclusion Criteria:

Arrange same-day admission for:

• Jaundice associated with the following features:
  • acutely unwell (e.g. encephalopathy or gastrointestinal bleeding)
  • abnormal clotting profile or signs of coagulopathy
  • new abnormal renal function
  • suspected of having taken a paracetamol overdose
  • frail or significant co-morbidities
  • painful jaundice +/-sepsis (admit general surgery).

 

Consider managing in primary care:

• Patients who are well and have been diagnosed with Hepatitis A or Gilbert’s syndrome.

 

Required Information for Referral:

For jaundice clinic - Arrange FBC, LFTs and INR (results not needed before referral is sent). Note - Ultrasound is unnecessary as this is performed in clinic

Refer via a referral letter via e-RS to book an appointment.

 

Supporting Information

For professionals

NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries -  Jaundice in adults.

 

 

 

Page Review Information

Review date	13 March 2025
Next review date	13 March 2027
Clinical editor	Dr Madeleine Attridge
Contributors	Dr Hyder Hussaini