North Shore (09) 486 8900
Waitakere (09) 839 0000

Patient & visitor information

Visiting hours: 8am – 8pm

The ESC aims to provide you with a much more streamlined journey from your GP’s referral through to having your appointment to see the surgeon and anaesthetist and your eventual operation and recovery.

We want to try and reduce the number of appointments  you need to attend before you come in for the actual operation. 

Under our model of care, our team of surgeons and anaesthetists will prioritise your care, according to the seriousness of your condition and then arrange the most suitable surgery route for you to travel along. This may involve:

  • minimal testing followed by rapid progression to the ESC or Waitakere Hospital, or  
  • extensive investigations and subsequent care in the North Shore Hospital site

Click on the topics below for more information

  • After you have been to your GP and they have referred you to see a specialist for your treatment, you will come for a ‘First Specialist Appointment’.
  • You may/may not be selected to come for your procedure at the ESC.
  • A specialist will decide this when they meet you at your first appointment.
  • It will be dependent upon your medical condition at the time and the type of surgery you might require.
  • You will receive a call from our surgical bookings team to arrange this appointment.
  • You will receive a letter confirming the time and date to come in.
  • You may/may not come to the ESC for your specialist appointment - your letter will confirm exactly where you have to go.
  • Some outpatient appointments can occur at Waitakere Hospital or at North Shore Hospital clinics.
  • At the appointment, you will meet your surgeon and he/she will consider:
    • your condition,
    • your circumstances
    • your health status
    • and decide whether an operation will be suitable for you
  • Before you leave:
    • you will see a nurse, who will give you some information about your impending operation and brochures that for you to read through thoroughly
    • we ask you to complete a questionnaire form about your current health status, which will be used to determine if you are well enough to have a general anaesthetic
  • In some instances, you may be asked to return and meet your anaesthetist for an appointment.
  • You will receive a phone call from our team if this is required.
  • You will be contacted again (within four months of having your first appointment), to see if you are available to come for surgery. 
  • You will be provided with some dates for you to consider.
  • You will be informed if you are coming for your surgery at the ESC, or somewhere else.

 

Peri-operative Co-ordinators

We have a small team of nurses called Peri-operative Coordinators who oversee your journey from when you are confirmed as requiring surgery, until your surgery date.

  • The team is responsible for following up on results and managing referrals to other services, within the Waitemata DHB.
  • We aim to provide your surgery within four months of having your initial appointment.
  • If you have any concerns or questions prior to you surgery date, please contact one of them.
  • The team work Monday to Friday between 08.00am and 4.30pm and they can be contacted on the following numbers:
    • General Surgery – 09 443 9072
    • Orthopaedic Surgery – 09 484 6020
    • Gynaecology or Urology Surgery – 09 484 6026
  • They will call you if you have any blood or urine results that need follow-up and discuss any treatment that may be required.

 

On the day of surgery, we ask that you follow these simple steps to ensure everything goes smoothly on the day:

  • follow the instructions given to you regarding eating and drinking times and taking or stopping your medication
  • do not shave the area near to your surgery site as cutting or grazing your skin, may lead to your surgery being cancelled
  • please have a shower and wash your hair prior to coming in to hospital
  • please ensure all your make-up nail polish and jewelry has been removed (wedding bands are OK to keep on if you cannot remove them)
  • please try to wear warm and comfy clothes when you travel to the hospital, so you remain as warm as possible right up to your operation
  • please allow for plenty of time when travelling into hospital. It’s better to arrive early than late

Please note that if you are having foot, joint or leg surgery, you may require crutches. You will need to leave a refundable $30 deposit IN CASH for the loan of our crutches, so please make sure you have this with you before you are discharged.