Surgical services — Hawke's Bay

Elective surgery for Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora Hawke's Bay is provided by surgical services at Hawke's Bay Fallen Soldiers' Memorial Hospital — elective surgery is planned surgery (not needed immediately).

Where to find us

Surgical services is at:

Hawke's Bay Fallen Soldiers' Memorial Hospital
398 Omahu Road
Camberley
Hastings 4120

Services we provide

Elective surgery at Hawke's Bay Fallen Soldiers' Memorial Hospital is provided to the people who need it the most and will benefit the most, compared with people with similar conditions.

How the elective surgery process works

First make an appointment with your healthcare provider to find out if you need to see a public hospital specialist for further assessment, and whether this is the best option for you.

Specialist assessment

If your healthcare provider refers you to a public hospital specialist, we will send you a letter telling you whether or not you have been given an assessment appointment. The decision is made on the information sent to us by your healthcare provider.

At your appointment, you and the specialist can talk about whether you would benefit from surgery. If you would get benefit from surgery and you want to go ahead with it, your name is sent to the surgical waiting list for consideration.

If your initial letter does not offer an assessment appointment, your healthcare provider can discuss other options with you.

Surgical waiting list

The urgency of your surgery is prioritised and the hospital sends you a letter telling you if you have been accepted onto the surgical waiting list.

We depend upon you letting us know, as soon as you can, if you do not want or cannot have your surgery when it is booked — so we can let someone else have their surgery.

If publicly funded surgery is not available to you (based on your level of need), the hospital sends you a letter telling you that you are not on the waiting list.

Tell your healthcare provider of any changes

Your healthcare provider is advised of your situation and continues to care for you. If your condition gets worse, it is important you see your healthcare provider again. They will let the specialist know your condition has changed so your condition and priority for surgery can be reviewed.

If you are considering cancelling your health insurance, we advise you to discuss this with your whānau and healthcare provider.

If you are very ill and require emergency, life saving surgery, you will be treated immediately.

Why we need to prioritise patients

As the population in Aotearoa New Zealand ages and new treatments and surgical techniques improve, the demand for elective surgery increases.

More people can have operations like hip or other joint replacements at a much older age and more complex surgery is available. This has increased the types and amount of surgery possible compared with only a few years ago.

To help manage the demand for elective surgery, more and more work is going into streamlining our services so as many people as possible can have their surgery.

Your stay in hospital

Preparing for a hospital stay

What your hospital appointment letter or email should tell you, what to know before your stay and what to bring, what to do when you arrive, and information if you are having surgery.
Your stay in hospital

The staff and services in hospital are there to help you and your whānau during your stay. The more you know about what to expect, the more you can relax and focus on your health and recovery.
Leaving hospital

Leaving hospital (hospital discharge) will be discussed with you during your hospital stay. It is important for your recovery that your discharge happens quickly when you no longer need hospital care.
Anaesthesia for your surgery

Anaesthetics are medicines that can numb a part of your body so you do not feel pain. They can also make you 'go to sleep' and be unaware of your surgery or procedure. The choice of anaesthetic depends on the type of surgery and your overall health.