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Counties Manukau Health Urology

Public Service

Description

What is Urology?

Urology is the branch of medicine that looks at diseases of the urinary system in females and the genitourinary system (urinary system plus genital organs) in males.

The urinary system is made up of the: 

  • kidneys (where urine is formed from material filtered out of the blood)
  • ureters (tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder)
  • bladder (a balloon-like organ that stores urine)
  • sphincter muscles (muscles around the opening of the bladder into the urethra)
  • urethra (the tube that carries urine to the outside of your body).

The male genital organs include the penis, scrotum and prostate gland. The prostate is a walnut-sized gland located between the bladder and the penis and in front of the rectum. The urethra passes through the centre of the prostate.

A doctor who specialises in disorders of the urinary system and also the male reproductive system is known as an urologist. A doctor who specialises in kidneys and their function is called a nephrologist.

Services provided at the SuperClinic include: specialists consultations; investigations e.g. urodynamics, cystoscopies, prostate biopsies; and day stay surgery for minor urological procedures.

Provision of urology services for Counties Manukau patients is part of the regional urology service.  Patients requiring inpatient surgery or acute presentations requiring surgery are treated at Auckland City Hospital - click here to go to the Auckland Hospital urology service page where you will find a number of patient information sheets. Alternatively our other regional service site includes Waitemata District Health Board - click here to view their site.

Consultants

Referral Expectations

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. malignant tumours you will be seen right away. For other conditions e.g. chronic prostatitis, you will be seen within 5 months. 

Urology outpatient clinics consist of first assessment (FSA), follow-up appointments and procedural appointments.  You will be seen in the outpatient clinic by a Urologist, Nurse Practitioner, Registrar or a Medical Officer Sub-Specialty (MOSS) who will provide specialist assessment and discuss treatment options and recommendations with you.  If surgery is required you will be added to the waiting list.  Minor urological surgery and a range of selected surgeries are done at Manukau Surgery Centre, whilst other urological surgery is done at Auckland City Hospital. 

Counties Manukau Health cannot admit acute urology patients.  Patients presenting to Middlemore's Emergency Department with urological issues will be transferred to Auckland City Hospital if they require admission or acute surgery.

 To clinic visits you need to bring with you:

  1. Any letters or reports from your doctor or other hospital
  2. Any X-Rays, CT or MRI films and reports
  3. All medicines you are taking including herbal and natural remedies
  4. Your pharmaceutical entitlement card
  5. Your ACC number, if you have one

 Please read your appointment letter carefully, as you may need to come to clinic with a full bladder, or have an x-ray before you see the doctor.

Nurse Practitioner explained here

Procedures / Treatments

  • Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)

    This is an enlargement of the prostate gland. In BPH there may be difficulties in passing urine as the enlarged prostate can cause a blockage.… More PDF

  • Bladder Cancer

    What causes bladder cancer is not always clear, but the risk of developing bladder cancer can be increased by smoking, getting older, long term bladder problems and unsafe exposure to aniline dyes which are used in some industries.… More

  • Bladder Flow Test

    This involves passing urine into a special machine to see what the flow of urine is like.… More

  • Fiducial Marker Placement

    In this procedure, the urologist passes an ultrasound probe into the rectum.  He then passes a needle with the fiducial marker (also known as a gold seed) down the probe and places the marker into the prostate.  Three markers are placed, before you have radiotherapy for the treatment of prostate… More PDF

  • Flexible Cystoscopy

    The consultant is able to look inside your bladder by inserting a cystoscope, or small flexible tube, into the urethra.… More PDF

  • Haematuria

    This term means blood in the urine and may be the result of inflammation or other problems with your kidneys, blockages in your ureter, infection or other problems with your bladder or problems with your prostate. More

  • Kidney Stones


    This term refers to stones in the urinary system. They form in the kidneys but can be found anywhere in the urinary system.… More PDF

  • Kidney (Renal) Failure

    Kidney failure occurs when the kidneys cannot remove waste products from the blood or control the amount of water in your body.… More

  • Nocturnal Polyuria

    Nocturnal polyuria means passing large amounts of urine at night, but normal amounts during the day. More PDF

  • Prostate Cancer

    Prostate cancer typically consists of many very small, tumours within the prostate.… More

  • Prostatitis

    This is the term used to describe inflammation of the prostate gland.… More PDF

  • Proteinuria

    This term means protein in the urine and may indicate that there is a problem with your kidneys. More

  • Transrectal Ultrasound Guided Biopsy of the Prostate (TRUS)

    In this procedure, the radiologist passes an ultrasound probe into the rectum and then takes approximately 8 biopsies or tissue samples under ultrasound guidance.… More PDF

  • Urinalysis

    Urinalysis is a test that examines the content of urine for abnormal substances such as protein or signs of infection.… More

  • Urinary Incontinence

    Urinary incontinence or loss of bladder control is the involuntary passage of urine (passing urine without meaning to).… More

  • Urinary Retention

    Urinary retention, or abnormal holding of urine in the bladder, is a common urological problem.… More

  • Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)

    A UTI is caused by an infection in the urinary tract.… More

  • Urodynamic Tests

    Urodynamic tests measure the storage of urine in the bladder and the flow of urine from the bladder through the urethra.… More PDF

Charges

There are no charges for services to public patients if you are lawfully in New Zealand and meet one of the Eligibility Directions specified criteria set by the Ministry of Health.  If you do not meet the criteria, you will be required to pay for the full costs of any medical treatment you receive during your stay.

To check whether you meet the specified eligibility criteria, visit the Ministry of Health website.

For any applicable charges, please phone the Accounts Receivable Office on (09) 276 0060.

Document Downloads

Other

Useful websites:

www.prostate.org.nz

www.cancer.org.nz

www.continence.org.nz

www.health.govt.nz

Contact Details

Manukau SuperClinic™

South Auckland

Manukau SuperClinic™ has a Call Centre to receive incoming calls related to outpatient services. The Call Centre is open to receive calls between 7:30 AM and 6:00 PM Monday to Friday.

Module 10
Manukau SuperClinic™
901 Great South Road
Manurewa

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Street Address

Module 10
Manukau SuperClinic™
901 Great South Road
Manurewa

Postal Address

Manukau SuperClinic™
PO Box 98743
Manukau City
Manukau 2241

This page was last updated at 12:55PM on June 5, 2019. This information is reviewed and edited by Counties Manukau Health Urology.