Capital & Coast DHB Orthopaedic Clinic
The Orthopaedic Clinic provides acute and elective treatment for musculoskeletal injuries or conditions including fracture/sprains, trauma, sports injuries, and congenital abnormalities and degenerative conditions. Elective treatment is provided through GP/other referral to a specialist clinic with investigation and inpatient elective treatment eventuating from this. Acute patients for management of musculoskeletal trauma are referred from the Emergency Department, or direct from the GP/outside agencies.

For your information:

• the Orthopaedic Clinic is open 7 days, Monday to Friday from 8am - 9.30pm, Saturday, Sunday, and Public Holidays from 9am to 11pm.
• the Orthopaedic Clinic is located on Level C of the Emergency Building. External access to our department is available off Mein Street (by the School of Medicine), suitable for ambulance or Taxi. There is limited public parking available on this side of the building during working hours and this entrance is locked by 8.30pm. Access is also available through the Atrium of Wellington Regional Hospital – ask at reception for directions. Entry and exit to the under ground car park is via the Riddiford Street entrance – take the red lift to level 3 then follow the signs to Orthopaedic Clinic.

What is Orthopaedics?
This is a surgical specialty that deals with disorders of bones, joints and soft tissues of the limbs and spine. The specialty covers a range of different types of conditions starting with congenital (conditions which children are born with) through to degenerative (conditions relating to the wearing out of joints). The field of orthopaedics also covers trauma where bones are broken or injuries are sustained to limbs. Other conditions that sit under the spectrum of orthopaedics are a variety of metabolic, neurological and inflammatory conditions.

Orthopaedic surgeons have special skills in the surgical and nonsurgical treatment of these conditions. A number of conditions that may be initially assessed by an orthopaedic surgeon may also require opinions and treatments by rheumatologists, sports doctors, neurologists, other surgical specialists and general practitioners (GPs).

Some of the most common conditions treated by orthopaedic surgeons in adult patients:

• severe osteoarthritis of the hip or knee
• fractured (broken) bones
• torn or inflamed muscles, tendons and cartilage
• dislocations of joints
• infections in bones and joints
• trapped nerves
• disorders of the spine.

Where joints have become destroyed by disease, or worn out, orthopaedic surgeons can often replace these joints with artificial ones. This results in marked relief from pain and an increase in mobility and enjoyment of life for patients.

Fractures, except for the most minor ones, are treated by orthopaedic surgeons as they have the expertise to assess the damage around the fracture and ensure the best function is obtained after the fracture is mended.

Most spinal conditions do not need a surgical operation, but a small number do. Your GP will tell you if your condition is one that could benefit from an orthopaedic opinion. 

You must be assessed by your GP before you can be referred to the Orthopaedic Department. As there is only a certain amount of funding and a limited number of specialists working at the hospital, it is not possible for the Orthopaedic Department to see every patient who is referred.

There are currently more requests for appointments than we have the capacity to see. This means we must see the most urgent and the most disabled patients. Patients with lesser levels of disability will need to see a doctor outside the public hospital system.

Many minor orthopaedic conditions are treated well by GPs and they may judge that you will receive swifter and more effective treatment by referring you to a sports medicine doctor, a rheumatologist or a physiotherapist. For many minor orthopaedic conditions these are exactly the same health professionals that the orthopaedic surgeon uses to assist in your recovery.

However, there are some conditions that only an orthopaedic surgeon can treat and if your GP refers you to the Orthopaedic Department, you may be given an appointment.  This decision is made by an orthopaedic surgeon. In this case the hospital will write to you giving you an appointment time and date. These appointments are scarce and there is competition for them so there may be some delay before you receive one. If you do receive one please turn up on the day because, if you do not turn up, you will deprive another patient of this valuable appointment.

Your GP will send us a letter explaining your condition. We will make an appointment time for you, based on your health need, and send it directly to you. For urgent needs e.g. serious infections or malignant tumours you will be seen promptly. For other conditions e.g. painful arthritis that makes movement difficult, you will be seen ideally within 6 months.

You will be seen in the outpatient clinic by specialist doctors, or those that work with them, who will assess your condition, discuss treatment options and make recommendations to you.

You need to bring with you:

There are no charges for New Zealand citizens or those with permanent New Zealand residency when they are treated in the public hospital. All non-residents and visitors to New Zealand will be billed for the full cost of the consultations and treatment.

The only exception to this is for the treatment of accidents where the cost of treatment can be paid for by the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC).

Orthopaedic Ward: 6 North

• 10am to 1pm; 3pm to 8pm daily

Break Away Cafe, Ward Support Block, Level C

Fuel Espresso Coffee, Level 3 Link Corridor

Wishbone Cafe, Atrium WRH Level 2

From the North:
SH1 through the Terrace Tunnel to the Basin Reserve.
Around the Basin Reserve then left to Adelaide Road. Continue to the John Street intersection then left into Riddiford Street. Proceed to Mein Street intersection and turn left. Enter left at the Medical School for parking. Alternate parking is available under the Wellington Regional Hospital by turning left at the set of traffic lights just after the John Street intersection.

From the Airport:
Proceed through the Mount Victoria Tunnel and to the Basin Reserve, then as above.

Consult Met Link for bus timetables.

• Underground parking at the Wellington Regional Hospital: access from Riddiford Street - metered.
• Beside the Medical School on Mein Street - metered.
• Free parking may be available on surrounding streets.

Ascot Motor Lodge
46 Riddiford Street
Newtown
Ph (04) 380 0047
www.ascotmotorlodge.co.nz

Hospital Pharmacy          (04) 385 5999

Newtown Mall Pharmacy (04) 389 8394

Security Orderlies (04) 385 5999