Urinary tract infections

​​​​​Emergency

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

  • Aged < 6 months with suspected febrile urinary tract infection (UTI)
  • Febrile UTI with underlying genitourinary abnormalities
  • Possible sepsis or seriously unwell (e.g. persistent tachycardia and/or lethargy)
  • UTI with any of the following features:
    • Abdominal, flank or bladder mass
    • Acutely raised creatinine
    • Acute urinary retention
    • Hypertension
    • Frequent vomiting with consequent poor hydration and/or inability to tolerate oral antibiotics
    • Immunocompromised
    • Poor urine stream suggestive of obstruction

When public outpatient services are not routinely provided

  • ​Aged > 6 months with a single, uncomplicated urinary tract infection (i.e. clean catch culture positive)​​

Criteria to access public outpatient services

CategoryCriteria
Category 1
Recommended to be seen within 30 calendar days.​​
​

  • Follow-up of febrile urinary tract infection (UT) in a child with renal tract abnormality
  • Hypertension with a history of UTIs
  • Aged < 2 years with recurrent (> 2 episodes in one year) febrile urinary tract infections (UTIs)
  • Significant neonatal renal pelvic dilatation (> 15 mm if unilateral, or > 10 mm if bilateral)
    Note: referral to paediatric urology may be more appropriate

Note: if urgent assessment is clinically indicated within 1 week, consider contacting the on-call paediatrician

​Category 2
​Recommended to be seen within 90 calendar days.

  • Known renal tract abnormality transferring from another specialist
  • Aged > 2 years with recurrent febrile UTIs, not requiring hospitalisation, or UTI with atypical organism where further advice is required​
​Category 3

Recommended to be seen within 365 calendar days.

  • Recurrent non-febrile UTI (> 3 episodes in one year) or cystitis where further advice is required

 

Information to include within a referral

Required

  • Reason for referral
  • Details of the presenting condition, including symptoms and their duration
  • 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 and age of first onset of urinary tract infections (UTIs)
    • Family history of renal disease
    • History of constipation, fluid intake and independent toileting
    • History of medications (including antibiotic courses)
    • Adequacy of urinary stream
    • Most recent urinalysis (dipstick) and past midstream urine (MSU) microscopy result(s), including sensitivities
      Note: urine bags must not be used (high false positive rate)
    • Blood pressure trends
    • Results of renal tract ultrasound and prior imaging reports

If available

  • ​Nil

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: Monday 23 March 2026
Contact page owner: System Purchasing