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This page was last updated at 1:00PM on August 31, 2011

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Public Service

Capital & Coast DHB Endocrine Service

Hours

Monday to Friday
8.00am - 4.30pm

Description

What is Endocrinology?

Endocrinology is a medical specialty which evaluates and treats suspected endocrine gland disorders. Endocrine glands produce hormones; these hormones are chemicals produced by one part of the body but may have their action elsewhere.
Your endocrinologist is a specialist doctor interested in diseases that affect your hormones. The major areas endocrinologists work in are:

• diabetes
• osteoporosis & Paget’s disease
• thyroid diseases
• sex hormone imbalances
• disorders of growth and development
• disorders of the pituitary gland.

Who do we see?
We see all adults with an endocrine problem. Children and adolescents are seen in the Paediatric Department.

Where are we situated?
The Endocrine Clinic is situated on Level 5, Grace Neill Block, Wellington Hospital.

To get to the Endocrine Department, enter off Riddiford Street and park under the new hospital:

  • take the orange lift to Level 3
  • turn right when you get out of the lift. At the end of the corridor you can see the Grace Neill Block (GNB) link bridge diagonally across the foyer on your left
  • walk across the bridge and take the yellow lift to Level 5.

Alternatively there is a drop-off point and limited parking outside the Grace Neill Block (GNB) accessed via Hospital Road. NB There is a fee for parking at both locations.

If you arrive by bus at the new hospital entrance on Riddiford Street, walk into the atrium and the orange lift is visible on your right.

Referral Expectations

  • You will be referred by your General Practitioner (GP) or other hospital specialist to an endocrinologist if you have a problem with any part of your endocrine system (the system that makes hormones). Your referral will be prioritised (given a position on a list of other referrals) depending on the disease and its severity.
  • The average waiting time before an appointment at a clinic ranges from 2 weeks to 4 months, depending on priority.
  • You may be asked to undergo some tests before seeing the doctor in the clinic to help with the diagnosis. 
  • You will see either a specialist or a registrar (a doctor training to become a specialist who works under the supervision of a specialist).  There are also specialist nurses who may be involved with your appointment and ongoing treatment.
  • You may have ongoing follow-up in the clinic or have your treatment carried out by your GP with advice from the specialist.

Prescriptions

In general, we expect regular maintenance prescriptions to be provided by your GP.  There are two good reasons for this:

  1. firstly, your GP and pharmacist have the most reliable and up-to-date listing of your exact drug list
  2. secondly, as part of Government policy, prescriptions may be cheaper from your GP than from a hospital consultant.

On occasion however, a new or changed medication is prescribed directly from the clinic or is recommended to your GP by letter after your visit.

Consultations

Following your visit to the hospital with a first or follow-up visit, a letter is sent to your GP and referring doctor, summarising the result of the visit.  Letter content depends on the interpretation of test results and therefore may take two to four weeks to reach your GP.

Common Conditions

  • Thyroid Disorders

    The thyroid is a gland that sits in the front, and towards the bottom, of your neck.  It is responsible for producing a hormone called thyroxine. Thyroxine is important in regulating your metabolic rate.    Diseases that affect the thyroid can make it either overactive (producing too much thyroxine), underactive (not... More PDF

  • Pituitary Gland

    The pituitary gland is about the size of a pea and is situated in a bony hollow beneath the base of your brain just below the bridge of your nose. It controls most of the endocrine (hormone) systems in your body. When disorders occur in this gland a variety of... More

  • Adrenal Disorders

    The adrenal glands are situated just above your kidneys. These glands produce hormones. Endocrinologists see conditions where there is either over- or underproduction of these hormones... More

  • Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

    PCOS is a hormonal disorder that affects 5 -10% of women of reproductive age... More

  • Disorders of Reproduction

    There are a number of conditions that can result in irregular or absent periods.   As well as PCOS (see above) and prolactinomas (see above under Pituitary Disorders), emotional stress, weight loss and intensive exercise can all result in irregular or absent periods... More

  • Calcium and Bone Metabolism (including Osteoporosis)

    Osteoporosis   Osteoporosis is a disease that causes your bones to thin... More

  • Turner's Syndrome

    Turner's syndrome is a chromosome abnormality that affects only females. It may be detected at birth, during childhood due to failure to grow at a normal rate, or later when there is a failure of the pubertal growth spurt and failure to develop secondary sexual characteristics... More

  • Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia (MEN)

    This term covers a variety of rare inherited endocrine disorders... More PDF

  • Klinefelter's Syndrome

    This is a relatively common condition estimated to affect one man in 500 and results in a number of problems including low testosterone levels... More

  • Hydrocortisone Replacement

    Your body is dependent on the production of steroids (cortisol) to function. If your body is not producing enough steroids (as assessed by a blood test) you will be asked to start on hydrocortisone tablets... More

Consultants

Endocrinologist
Endocrinologist
Endocrinologist - Currently on Maternity Leave
Endocrinologist - Clinical Leader
Endocrinologist

Other

Our Endocrine Nurse Educators are:

Di Cordwell

Misty Rimene

 

Our Endocrine Administrator is:

Elizabeth Tease

Location Information

Contact Details

General Enquiries: (04) 385 5999
Patient Enquiries: (04) 385 5947 or (04) 385 5949
Fax: (04) 385 5856

Street Address

Level 5
Grace Neill Building
Wellington Hospital
Wellington

Postal Address

Wellington Hospital
Private Bag 7902
Wellington South

Map & more information

Click here for a map and more information about this location.

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