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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, Checklists and Plans | ASCIA Clinical History Form for Allergic Reactions | Standard of Care for Transition from Paediatric to Adult Allergy Services | Adrenaline Device PBS Authority Form | ASCIA Treatment Summary, Plan and Checklists for Immune Deficiency Disorders  

Referral to a Clinical Immunology/Allergy Specialist

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

They provide medical care for patients in Australia and New Zealand with the following immune system disorders:

  • Allergic conditions, including food, drug and insect/tick allergies, anaphylaxis, allergic rhinitis, eczema and asthma.
  • Inborn errors of immunity, including primary immunodeficiencies) and secondary immunodeficiencies. 
  • Autoimmune diseases, including vasculitis and other connective tissue diseases.
Further information about clinical immunology/allergy specialists is avialable at:
 

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. Confirmed or suspected IgE mediated allergy to foods, drugs, insects or occupational allergens
  3. Food or drug allergies, to undergo medically supervised allergen challenges
  4. Insect or respiratory allergy, when allergen immunotherapy is contemplated
  5. Complex and/or multiple respiratory allergic diseases (e.g. severe allergic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, asthma)
  6. Severe atopic dermatitis (eczema)
  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)

Patients with allergic conditions or inborn errors of immunity and who require transfer of care (e.g. from paediatric to adult services, or due to relocation) may require a referral to a new clinical immunology/allergy specialist. 

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, Checklists and Plans

The following management summary, checklists and plans for allergic conditions can support referrals and are available open access on the ASCIA website:

ASCIA Management Summary for Allergic Conditions (this can be used for Young Adults with allergies to transition from paediatric to adult medical care) - includes type in fields and tick boxes that can be completed by the referring health professional

ASCIA Allergic Reactions Event Record - includes type in fields and tick boxes that can be completed by the patient/carer or health professional  

 
 
ASCIA anaphylaxis checklists are available for patients/carers and health professionals:
  

ASCIA Clinical History Form for Allergic Reactions

The ASCIA Allergic Reactions Clinical History 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. 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

Treatment Summary, Checklists and Plans for Immune Deficiency Disorders  

The following ASCIA resources can support referrals and are available open access on the ASCIA website:

ASCIA Treatment Summary for Patients on Immunoglobulin Therapy

ASCIA Treatment Plan for Patients on Subcutaneous Immunoglobulin (SCIg) Therapy

 

Webpage updated May 2025