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What are the indications for referring a patient with an ankle fracture to secondary care?

Answer

Guideline-Aligned (High Confidence)

Generated by iatroX. Developer: Dr Kola Tytler MBBS CertHE MBA MRCGP (General Practitioner).

Last reviewed: 22 August 2025

Indications for referring a patient with an ankle fracture to secondary care include:

Uncertainty about the stability of a unimalleolar ankle fracture, which requires orthopaedic follow-up within 2 weeks.
Any ankle fracture that may require surgical intervention, with surgery ideally performed on the day of injury or the next day.
Open wounds, fracture dislocations, or vascular injury associated with the ankle fracture.
Failure of symptoms to improve 6 weeks after injury, warranting further specialist review.

These criteria ensure appropriate specialist assessment and management, including decisions about surgery and ongoing care ¹.