Referring a patient for abortion care at King Edward Memorial Hospital

Clinician Assist WA (external site) is a web-based portal with current information on referral and management pathways, helping clinicians to access appropriate services in the primary, community and acute health care settings in WA for patients. Please refer to the Unintended Pregnancy and Abortion Care pathway when considering a referral to King Edward Memorial Hospital for abortion care. 

Alternatively, health practitioners can call the free WA Health funded helpline 1800 4 CHOICE (1800 424 642) to access information on abortion care and service providers across WA, including the correct pathways for referral based on their patients individual circumstances.

Routine abortion is generally provided through general practitioners and private clinics in the community. KEMH does not provide a routine abortion service. However, it can facilitate care for people in specific circumstances. Abortion care is provided if:

• medical co-morbidities, anaesthetic issues or social circumstances exclude them from community-based abortion providers
• they are aged 16 years or less. 

Adolescents under 16 years
requesting an abortion will be seen and managed at KEMH, or advice can be provided for other health service providers if local pathways are more appropriate. This is a specialised service available to all young people aged 16 years and under from across WA.

Accessing abortion care for people with pregnancies that have been identified as high risk
of congenital conditions from first trimester screening testing, or anatomical ultrasound, should be referred to the Maternal Fetal Medicine Unit at KEMH or Fiona Stanley Hospital, for further investigations and counselling.

Pregnancy gestation greater than 23 weeks
requires a second medical practitioner and additional medical procedures may be required. Please contact the Pregnancy Choices and Abortion Care Clinic at KEMH to be guided through this process.

Clinical exclusion

King Edward Memorial Hospital does not provide routine abortion services. If you would like more information on where your patient can seek an abortion in the community, refer to the Chief Health Officer approved information for patients (PDF) and call 1800 4 CHOICE (external site) for information and advice.

Referral process

For those eligible for WNHS Abortion care services, please send the referral as per process below:

• Email a detailed referral to KEMH.referrals@health.wa.gov.au
  Please note, your referral must detail why tertiary level abortion care is required otherwise your referral will be rejected and returned. 

Please include in the referral:

• Patient contact information (including mobile phone number and acknowledgement that this is a safe number to call).
• Medical, surgical and obstetric history and an outline of medical issues of concern and social circumstances of concern.
• Risks that show the reason care is required at KEMH.
• In subject line write 'Attention Pregnancy Choices and Abortion Care Clinic, Urgent referral'.
• Alternatively, fax details to (08) 6458 1031.

Please also include any investigations and results relevant to this pregnancy (if they have been performed) such as ultrasound, blood group and screen and FBP.

If possible, please request these tests if they haven’t already been performed. This will expedite the planning and management of care.

Do not send referrals via Central Referral Service as there may be time critical delays in the referral being received.

The minimum required demographic and clinical information needed for referrals to public services can be found: Guide for referring to WA public outpatient services (external site)