Common Questions.

Your surgeon arranges your admission to Belverdale, so the process starts with them. Once we receive the booking request, we’ll be in touch to talk through your admission planning and any other details. If we’ve asked you to provide any documents for your admission, you’re welcome to email them to us at reception@belverdale.co.nz.

Most people having surgery with us will attend our Pre-anaesthetic Assessment Clinic before surgery is finally approved. It’s a nurse-led clinic run in partnership with our anaesthetists, and appointments take around 60–90 minutes. There’s nothing extra to pay — any costs are already included in the final price of your service.

The clinic is an essential part of our pre-admission screening: it helps us identify and manage any known or preventable risks at every stage of your care, which is why it can’t be left out of the process. If you’ve had a general anaesthetic with us before, you may not need to repeat it — this is decided case by case, at the discretion of our Anaesthetic Team and Ward Manager.

No — we don’t send out written confirmation or admission details. If you haven’t heard from us, or you’d like confirmation sooner, please call the hospital on (06) 348 1182 and we’ll be happy to help.

It’s important that you feel fully informed about your surgery or procedure, so before the day it’s worth asking your surgeon:

• What your surgery or procedure will involve.
• Whether there are any risks.
• What alternative options you have.
• How much it will cost — your surgeon will let Belverdale know whether you need a cost estimate (charges are split into separate Surgeon, Anaesthetist and Hospital fees).
• Whether there’s any special preparation you need to do beforehand.
• Whether you’ll need any further tests or investigations.

If you haven’t received a hospital cost estimate from your surgeon, please contact Belverdale Hospital receptionists on reception@belverdale.co.nz to request this.  The surgeon and anaesthetist set their own costs as they are private contractors.

This depends on your policy.  Some policies require you to pay an excess of a set amount.  Your insurance company will advise you of this.  Please pay this amount directly to Belverdale Hospital at least 3 days before admission. 

Other policies may agree to pay up to a certain amount in which case you, the patient, commit to pay any outstanding amount.  This is termed a shortfall, which varies depending on how long your procedure takes and how long you need to be in recovery.  Our team works hard to minimise these times for you.  Any shortfall will be invoiced to you after you are discharged.  Payment of the shortfall is required in full within 7 days of the invoice.

Yes — you’re welcome to request an estimate of the hospital charges that may apply to your visit. Please keep in mind this can only ever be an estimate: the actual cost isn’t known until after your surgery is complete and your account is finalised at discharge.

Your total cost will usually be made up of:

• the hospital charge, covering theatre and recovery,
• a hospital accommodation charge,
• a charge for sundries (medical supplies and the like),
• your surgeon’s fee,
• your anaesthetist’s fee,
• any other health professionals whose services are needed (for example, a physiotherapist).

If you have medical insurance, you must apply for prior approval from your insurer before your surgery. Once you have it, please write your approval number on your health questionnaire.

It’s also worth checking exactly how much your policy will cover, as some policies don’t cover the full cost — and any shortfall can be significant.

Some procedures are approved under the Southern Cross Affiliated Provider Scheme. Your surgeon needs to apply for this approval on your behalf, so please give them your insurance details (such as your policy number).

If your surgery and treatment are approved by ACC, you generally won’t have any additional costs to pay. That said, some patients — those covered by approved affiliated contractors — may still incur certain charges, such as prescription costs or x-ray/MRI surcharges, depending on the provider.

The estimate is based on your planned procedure and surgical equipment, time in operating theatre, time in post-anaesthetic care, and expected total length of stay.  Every effort is made to minimise these costs on your behalf. 

We hold extensive contracts and guarantees with ACC and Insurance companies which we cannot have with individual patients.  If you are choosing to pay for your own surgery, we ask for a 90% payment of the estimated hospital costs at least 3 days prior to admission, as these services cannot be recovered in the event of non-payment after the fact.  Should the final cost be less than your estimated 90% then a refund will be provided to you within 14 days of discharge – this allows time for us to ensure that we have calculated and allowed for all unexpected savings or additional costs.

At times, Te Whatu Ora Health NZ opts to utilise our services to reduce their surgical waiting lists.  This is entirely at their request and discretion.  We cannot control who is referred in this manner.

Please note – We may decline entry for any patient if we know we cannot safely undertake the procedure in a specific case within our facility. 

Belverdale Hospital does not invoice your Insurer until after you have been discharged.  The Insurer has committed to paying the final cost.  If the final cost is less than the estimated cost, that is all that they pay. 

Before your admission, you’ll receive a folder of important pre-admission information, including a Health Questionnaire and Consent Form. This form helps our health team plan your care, and covers your personal and contact details, your health history, consent for treatment, any special needs, and payment arrangements.

The health history you provide is used to assess your health status, so it’s important to answer every question about your past and present health as fully and accurately as you can. If anything changes before your admission, please let us know straight away.

In some cases we’ll also need to arrange a preoperative assessment with one of our anaesthetists — if that applies to you, Belverdale will organise it for you.

Please return your completed Health Questionnaire & Consent form as soon as you can, and no later than fourteen (14) working days before your surgery. You can:

• drop it in to us at Belverdale Hospital, 5 Campbell Street, Whanganui,
• email it to reception@belverdale.co.nz (and bring the original with you on admission),
• post it to Belverdale Hospital, 5 Campbell Street, Whanganui 4500 (please post at least 7 days before surgery to allow for any delays).

If the form isn’t returned in time, your surgery may need to be postponed — we may not have enough time to arrange any additional assessments you need.

If you need any pre-operative blood tests or investigations (such as urine tests or x-rays), please have these done 5–7 days before your admission.

There’s one exception: blood transfusion tests (a “Group & Hold”) must be done no more than 4 working days before your admission. Please note that most patients will not require this test.

If your procedure requires bowel preparation, this is provided at the request of your admitting surgeon. Please collect your prep and instructions from Belverdale Hospital at least 5 days before your procedure. The instructions are tailored to you individually, and the consultation takes around 20–30 minutes.

There are a few ways to get your prep:

• we can courier it to you on request,
• you can arrange a date and time to collect it,
• you’re welcome to walk in to request it once your service has made a booking request — walk-ins are available during office hours only and depend on staff being free, so please be prepared to wait 15–30 minutes for a staff member to provide your consultation.

Please note that we can’t provide bowel prep without details of your known medical conditions, current medications and allergies. These are covered in the Health Questionnaire your surgeon gives you, so please complete it and bring it with you before requesting your prep.

Please bring all your current medications with you in their original containers, along with a printout from your GP, pharmacist or chemist that lists each medication, its dosage and how often you take it. This helps your doctors make sure the right medications are continued for you.

Some medications may need to be stopped before your surgery. Please check with your surgeon or with Belverdale Hospital whether your regular medications and any natural remedies can be taken as usual, and be sure to follow their instructions.

Please let us know as early as possible if you have a long-term health condition which is supported by a specialist team, as we need plenty of time to contact your team and check whether any special plans are required for your admission.

On the day of your surgery, please take your usual morning medication with a small sip of water — unless you’ve been told otherwise.

Stopping smoking before surgery genuinely helps recovery, as smokers tend to experience more complications than non-smokers including higher rates of infection and blood clots. Ideally, it’s best to stop six weeks before your operation — but if your surgery is arranged at short notice, please avoid smoking for at least 48 hours beforehand.

No — Belverdale is a smoke-free hospital, so smoking isn’t permitted anywhere on the premises.

Yes, we can! If you’d like support to quit, we’re happy to help arrange smoking cessation assistance — ask at your pre-admission appointment, or speak to your nurse when you’re admitted.

If you develop a cold, experience dental problems, any other infection, or any broken skin within a week of your admission, please let your surgeon or the hospital know straight away — it may mean we need to postpone your surgery until you’ve recovered. We recognise it is frustrating when this happens however it is done to ensure that your anaesthetic, surgery, and recovery are as safe as possible.

If you live alone, it’s worth arranging for a family member, whānau or friend to stay with you for a few days after you’re discharged.

If you’re expecting your mobility to be a little reduced after surgery, it can help to prepare some meals ahead of time for the freezer, think through your sleeping arrangements, and — if your bedroom is upstairs — consider moving your bed somewhere easier to reach for the first little while.

Please bring:

• your ‘Your Anaesthetic’ booklet, to discuss with your anaesthetist,
• all the medications you’re currently taking, including herbal and natural remedies, in the bottles or boxes they were dispensed in,
• your glasses, plus any physical or personal aids such as walking sticks or hearing aids.

If you’re a day-stay patient, also bring comfortable, loose clothing (you won’t need sleepwear).

If you’re staying overnight or longer, pack a small overnight bag with:

• comfortable sleepwear, a dressing gown, and slippers or footwear,
• personal toiletries (every room has its own ensuite),
• comfortable daywear (optional), to help you get moving again sooner,
• something to read or do — every room has a TV.

Please leave valuables, jewellery and other personal items at home, as Belverdale prefers not to take responsibility for their safekeeping.

You’re also welcome to bring:

• your cell phone — though we may ask you to switch it off at times, as phones can affect some of the equipment we use in your care,
• a computer or device — Wi-Fi is available.

Finally, if you have any special dietary requirements or requests, please let your nurse know when you’re admitted.

To help keep everything safe and clean for your surgery, please:

• shower and wash your hair before you come in.
• skip deodorant, talc, moisturiser and other skin products on the day, unless you’ve been told otherwise.
• avoid wearing make-up.
• remove any rings if you’re having surgery to your shoulder, arm or hand(s), as your fingers may swell.
• remove nail polish from your fingers and toes if you’re having a joint replacement — bacteria can grow under polish, and darker colours can interfere with our monitoring of your blood oxygen levels.
• all joint replacement surgeries should receive at least one chlorhexidine surgical scrub pack. If you have not received your scrub prior to receiving admission details, please phone 06 348 1182 extension 1 to discuss this. The scrub should be provided at your pre-admission appointment.

We’re not able to confirm admission times too far in advance. You’ll receive your admission and fasting times by text message — on Friday afternoon for Monday and Tuesday cases, and 48-hours prior for cases scheduled Wednesday to Friday.

This is deliberate: it means any late changes to the surgical list don’t cause confusion or repeated changes for you at an already stressful time.

We always aim to keep the wait as short as possible between your admission and going into theatre. Occasionally there may be unavoidable delays. If that happens, we will do everything we can to keep you and your family updated to avoid unnecessary worry.

You’ll be told your fasting time before your surgery. It’s important that you have nothing to eat or drink for 6 hours beforehand — this includes milk, chewing gum and sweets, and you must finish eating by the fasting time you’re given.

If a light breakfast is allowed, that means 1–2 slices of toast with a light spread and a cup of tea or coffee with a little milk. Please also limit your alcohol the night before. In some cases you may be able to have water up to 3–4 hours before surgery — we’ll let you know if this applies to you.

48 hours before your procedure, you will receive a txt with details confirming your time of admission and instructions regarding fasting and medications. If you do not have a cell phone, this communication will be in the form of a telephone call or email. Procedures booked for Mondays and Tuesdays will receive notification of these details by end of business the previous Friday.

To keep you safe during your stay, we’ll ask you to confirm your name and date of birth several times. It might feel repetitive, but it’s an important way of making sure everything is exactly right for you at every step.

Just before your procedure begins, your surgeon, anaesthetist, anaesthetic technician and the theatre team will also pause for a short “time out” to complete a final check together. It’s a routine part of how we keep you safe.

You are welcome to request a certain room, but please be aware that this may not always be achievable due to the unique needs of each week of admissions. While every effort is made to ensure your comfort, reasons for declining accommodation of a specific room request will not be disclosed due to the privacy rights of our other patients.

In most cases you’ll be discharged in the morning, and we’ll ask you to arrange for someone to pick you up by 11am — a late checkout fee may apply after this time. If you have any concerns about your discharge time, just let your nurse know.

Our nursing staff will arrange the details of your discharge together with you and your surgeon, so please also let your nurse know if you’ll need any loan equipment.

Before you go, our nursing staff will put together a discharge form covering your procedure, your post-operative care instructions, and any follow-up appointments you’ll need — you’ll get a copy to take home. Please note that some prescriptions do incur a cost.

Our loan equipment is provided for a period of 6 weeks. If you need it longer, please phone and check with the Ward Manager as we do require the equipment to be returned for cleaning and re-issuing. If you wish to purchase your own equipment then we recommend Mobility Equipment Wanganui – Graeme sources most of the patient issue equipment which we use here at Belverdale Hospital. He can be contacted on 021 1195118.

Some patients may be eligible for a care assistance package provided by ACC, public health funding, or their insurer. Your surgeon or GP will support you with wound care follow up – please talk to the nursing staff about what to expect. Follow-up appointments are at the private premises of your Specialist. We recommend considering whether you will need to prepare meals in advance, and planning for changes to your ability to drive post-surgery.

No — by law you can’t drive on the day of your anaesthetic, so please make sure you’ve arranged for someone to pick you up. Some procedures may also restrict your ability to drive for a period afterwards, so check with your surgeon if you’re not sure.

We also recommend arranging for a responsible adult to stay with you for the first 24 hours after your procedure, and to rest and follow the instructions from your surgeon and/or our staff during that time.

In the first 24 hours you shouldn’t operate heavy machinery, make important decisions, sign legal documents, or drink alcohol. It’s also worth knowing that some patients have a higher risk of a blood clot (DVT) after surgery, so please raise this with your surgical team if you have any concerns.

Your surgical information hand-out covers what to expect for pain relief, wound care, diet and activity, so it’s worth keeping handy.

If you need immediate attention, see your GP or an emergency doctor and take your Discharge Summary with you.

If you need to reach your surgeon, just call Belverdale Hospital and we’ll get in touch with them for you — on weekends, please see Whanganui Accident and Medical, or contact Healthline for any immediate questions or concerns.

Please seek medical advice if you experience any of the following:

• difficulty breathing or unusual shortness of breath,
• persistent nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea,
• excessive bleeding or drainage at the operative site,
• fever, chills or a high temperature,
• pain that isn’t relieved by your pain medication,
• anything else that concerns you and needs immediate attention.

If you do need to seek medical care after you’ve gone home, please take your discharge information summary with you.