Anaesthesia — South Canterbury

To contact the Department of Anaesthesia at Timaru Hospital, phone 03 687 2100 (extension 8349).

The Department of Anaesthesia is at:

Level 4, Timaru Hospital
Queen Street
Timaru

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.

You will usually be seen by the Department of Anaesthesia following a Persistent Pain Service referral to the outpatient appointment office.