Anaesthesia — South Canterbury
Anaesthesia is the largest department in the hospital. It has more than an 'operating theatre' role — anaesthetists play a unique and vital role in delivering health care throughout the hospital and, in certain settings, to the wider community.
Contact us
To contact the Department of Anaesthesia at Timaru Hospital, phone 03 687 2100 (extension 8349).
Where to find us
The Department of Anaesthesia is at:
Level 4, Timaru Hospital
Queen Street
Timaru
Hospital map — Timaru Hospital
Services we provide
Our 13 permanent anaesthetists have had specialist training as rigorous as that of a surgeon — all are accredited to specialist level. The Timaru Hospital department is accredited for advanced specialist training and welcomes a registrar from Christchurch on a 3-month rotation in a formal training relationship that has operated for over 20 years.
Our anaesthetists use their broad range of skills and expertise across a number of areas:
- operating theatres — anaesthesia for all planned and emergency surgery
- maternity services, including high-risk anaesthesia assessment and labour analgesia (pain relief)
- endoscopy — anaesthesia and sedation support
- anaesthesia for radiology (CT, MRI) and audiology services
- emergency department — advanced care support
- all inpatient areas — care in deteriorating health or the critically ill person
- cardiac arrest and trauma teams
- paediatrics — neonatal resuscitation and paediatrics support
- acute pain service (hospital)
- Persistent Pain Service* — inpatient care, outpatient clinic and procedures
- intensive care unit — 'shared care' model with admitting teams
- cardiorespiratory support and acute renal replacement therapy
- advanced or complex intravenous access for all patients, including those in oncology
- liaison anaesthesia assessment for regional surgical services.
Referral information
You will usually be seen by the Department of Anaesthesia following a Persistent Pain Service referral to the outpatient appointment office.