Hawke's Bay DHB
Wairoa District, Hastings District, Napier City, Central Hawke's Bay District, Chatham Islands Territory
Licensed institutions
Hawke's Bay Hospital - Terrace Unit
| Street Address: | Omahu Road, Hastings |
| Postal Address: | Private Bag 9014, Hastings |
| Phone: | (06) 834 3952 Ext. 6669 |
| Facsimile: | (06) 878 1364 |
Services provided
Hawkes' Bay DHB has a dedicated unit, The Terrace Clinic, which manages referrals for termination of pregnancy. The operations are performed under local anaesthetic up to 12+ weeks. Arrangements are made for referral to other centres for second trimester pregnancies.
The Terrace Clinic provides a service to women from Dannevirke to Wairoa. There is also an arrangement with the Tairawhiti DHB for up to 5 women per week to come from Gisborne.
Termination for fetal anomaly is managed through the local specialist obstetricians.
First trimester
Appointments
Appointments are made by The Terrace Clinic receptionist. Appointments can be made by the referring GP, practice nurse or the patient herself.
Referral information should be faxed to the clinic on the above number and appointments can be made by telephone.
Appointments are made on Thursdays. Usually this is a two-day process with women being seen and assessed and if appropriate certification provided one Thursday and an appointment being given for operation the following Thursday. Exceptions are made for women who are over 11 weeks or women who come from outside the district.
Information required from the referrer
NZ residency and personal details, including contact telephone number; parity and gravidity, previous TOPs; LMP, pelvic exam findings, routine dating US scan; investigations (HVS, chlamydia and antenatal bloods); history and indications, contraception use at conception; recommended follow-up contraception.
Certification
If the legal criteria of the Crimes Act 1961 are met two certificates are provided by the doctors working the clinic.
Counselling
A dedicated counsellor is available to see all women who wish this. Women are usually referred by their referring doctor, but also can be referred by the doctors in The Terrace Clinic
Contraception
Emphasis is put on contraceptive advice and this is discussed at both the day one and day two session.
The procedure
First trimester surgical abortions are performed by suction curettage after misoprostol priming of the cervix for 1-3 hours. Local anaesthetic is used.
Follow-up
Follow-up is usually provided by the referring clinician. Complications requiring admission are dealt with by the gynaecology service at Hawke's Bay Hospital.
Cost
The service is free for eligible patients. The charge for those ineligible for publicly-funded services is $822 (incl. GST).
Second trimester - all grounds, other than fetal anomaly
Second trimester abortion services for non-fetal anomaly grounds are arranged through The Terrace Clinic.
Women are referred either to the Level J Unit, Wellington Hospital or to one of the three private Auckland gynaecologists.
The Terrace Clinic receptionist will make the appointments.
Information required from the referrer
Information required is the same as for first trimester abortions.
Counselling
Counselling before referral is essential for all women being referred to other districts for their termination.
Certification
One certificate is provide at The Terrace Clinic and the second certificate provided by the operating doctor in the clinic to which they are referred.
Procedure
The procedure differs in the different centres.
The Auckland gynaecologists provide a surgical termination under general anaesthetic up to 16 weeks.
The Level J Unit in Wellington Hospital offers a range of procedures depending on the gestation.
Cost
The service is free for eligible patients. The charge for those ineligible for publicly-funded services depends on the centre to which they are referred. The Hawke's Bay DHB does not contribute to the costs of women travelling to other centres for termination services.
Follow-up
Follow-up is provided by the referring clinician. A follow-up visit is recommended within two weeks.
Second trimester - fetal anomaly
Second trimester abortion services for fetal anomaly are provided in the Hawke's Bay Hospital. Some women with more complex problems are referred to the Maternal Fetal Medicine Team at Wellington Hospital.
Certification
Women may need to see one of The Terrace Clinic doctors for one certificate with the other being provided by the specialist obstetrician.
Information about this service has not been provided by the DHB.
Royston Hospital
| Street Address: | 325 Prospect Road, Hastings |
| Postal Address: | 325 Prospect Road, Hastings |
| Phone: | (06) 878 2017 |
| Facsimile: | (06) 878 8126 |
Services provided
Royston is a private hospital which is occasionally used for termination of pregnancy. Private referral to specialist obstetricians is required to discuss this option.
DHB responsibilities
All District Health Boards are required to provide termination of pregnancy services "for those women who meet the criteria provided by the Crimes Act 1961 and the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act 1977". See Ministry of Health. However accessing accurate, up-to-date and informative details about how individual District Health Boards provide these services, or whether they provide them, has been extremely difficult. The information provided here is the best that we have been able to obtain for this district to date. We will continue to update the website as we obtain further information.
Last Updated: 13 September 2006