Bronchiectasis in adult patients

​​​Emergency

If any of the following are suspected, please seek emergency medical advice or refer the patient to the emergency department (via ambulance if necessary):

  • ​Acute exacerbation with exhaustion, confusion, or coma
  • New changes on chest X-ray scan indicative of cavitation, consolidation or pneumonia
  • New or worsening hypoxaemia
  • Sepsis with evidence of significant infective exacerbation (i.e. fever and/or high-volume purulent sputum)
  • Significant haemoptysis (i.e. repeated expectoration of 5 mL (1 teaspoon) of blood or single episode of > 20 mL (1 tablespoon))

When public outpatient services are not routinely provided

  • Cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis

Criteria to access public outpatient services

CategoryCriteria
Category 1
Recommended to be seen within 30 calendar days
  • Chronic bronchiectasis or chronic suppurative lung disease (CSLD) with any of the following features:
    • Concurrent allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA)
    • New cavitation with suspected infection
    • Rapidly decreasing exercise tolerance
    • Recurrent haemoptysis
    • ​Unintentional weight loss​

Category 2
Recommended to be seen within 90 calendar days

  • Chronic bronchiectasis or CSLD with
    infective exacerbations despite optimal therapy
  • Colonisation with Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
  • Confirmed or suspected non-tuberculous mycobacterium
  • Deterioration in lung function or radiological findings
  • Recurrent low volume haemoptysis​

Category 3
Recommended to be seen within 365 calendar days.

  • Symptomatic chronic bronchiectasis or CSLD​

Information to include within a referral

Required

  • Reason for referral
  • Details of the presenting condition, including symptoms and their duration, and impact on activities of daily living
  • Provisional diagnosis
  • Patient health summary (such as relevant medical history, relevant investigations, current medications and dosages, immunisations, allergies and/or adverse reactions), including specifically:
    • Frequency of exacerbations and details of previous treatment and outcomes
    • History of smoking and vaping
    • Previous sputum culture results
    • Chest CT scan report (ideally when patient is not acutely unwell)
    • Peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2)
    • Spirometry with flow-volume loops (pre and post bronchodilator)

If available

  • Chest X-ray scan report (if already performed)
  • Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP)
  • Cor pulmonale or sinus disease
  • Degree of functional impairment (e.g. impact on exercise tolerance or ability to work)
  • Electrolytes, urea, creatinine (EUC)
  • Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
  • Family history of cystic fibrosis
  • Full blood count (FBC)
  • History of childhood respiratory infections (e.g., Whooping cough)
  • History of unintentional weight loss
  • Immunoglobulins with immunoglobulin G (IgG) sub class results
  • Liver function test (LFT)
  • Previously tried medications if associated with treatment failure or problems
  • Previous chest imaging results (ideally not during an exacerbation)
  • Smoking cessation plan (if active smoker)

Important information for referring health professionals

If there is a change to a patient’s condition while waiting for their appointment, referring health professionals may further investigate and manage the situation, or send an updated referral to the outpatient service. Where there are significant concerns about a patient's condition, referring health professionals may check HealthPathways for urgent/same day advice or contact the relevant clinical team.

Current as at: Thursday 10 September 2026
Contact page owner: System Purchasing