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: Urologists, Nurse Practitioner and Nurse Specialist 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.
Ariane Araquel-Lacamiento - Nurse Practitioner (part-time)
Jacob Vincent - Nurse Practitioner (full-time)
Linta Paul - Cancer Nurse Coordinator for Urology
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:
- Any letters or reports from your doctor or other hospital
- Any X-Rays, CT or MRI films and reports
- All medicines you are taking including herbal and natural remedies
- Your pharmaceutical entitlement card
- 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.
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.
