RESIDENT MEDICAL OFFICERS' UNIT

Endocrinology and Diabetes Service

1. Clinical Endocrinology
The consultant endocrinologists are Dr Penny Hunt, Dr Steven Soule, Dr David Cole, Dr Anna Fenton and Dr Catherine Conway. Dr Hunt, Dr Cole and Dr Soule also undertake some general medicine admitting.

There is an endocrinology registrar who is normally an advanced trainee in endocrinology. The training of this registrar includes experience in general endocrinology, diabetes, thyroid disease, gynaecologic endocrinology, paediatric endocrinology and bone disorders.

The Endocrinology Service provides endocrinology out-patient services, in-patient consultations, and the Service is also involved in specialist clinics with the Paediatrics Department (Dr Karen MacKenzie, Paediatric Endocrinologist) and at Women's Health (Dr Fenton). Thyroid clinics are within the department of Nuclear Medicine (Dr John Turner and Dr Penny Hunt) and Bone Clinics are based at Princess Margaret Hospital.

The majority of work is out-patient based but a small number of patients are admitted for investigation and management. There is close co-operation with radiologists, neurosurgeons and an endocrine surgeon in the care of patients.

2. Diabetes Centre
The Diabetes Centre is based in a separate building just off the Christchurch Hospital site at 550 Hagley Avenue. Consultant medical staff members are Drs Helen Lunt, Dr Peter Moore, Professor Russell Scott, Dr David Cole, Dr Catherine Conway and Dr Steven Soule. Drs Cole, Moore, Scott and Soule are also involved in General Medicine admitting.

The Diabetes Centre provides a multidisciplinary team approach to the management of diabetes and other members of the team include diabetes nurse specialists, dietitians, podiatrists, psychologists, Maori health workers and a Pacific Island nurse. The Centre provides an out-patient service, including an acute intervention service which can be accessed by general practitioners with urgent diabetes problems. A consultation service is also provided for hospital in-patients.

Registrar staffing is provided by 2 Diabetes Registrars (generally advanced trainees in endocrinology or general medicine) and the general medical registrars attached to the General Medicine teams of the diabetes consultants.

Two weekly joint medical and obstetric clinics are held at Christchurch Women's Hospital for patients with diabetes complicating pregnancy. This is joined with a general obstetric medicine high risk clinic, the physician input coming from Drs Cole and Moore as well as Dr Ruth Hughes, Obstetric Physician. The Diabetes Registrars have involvement with these clinics.

3. Endocrinology Laboratory
This provides a high quality diagnostic laboratory service in endocrinology and is alongside Clinical Endocrinology. It is part of a supra-regional service and provides and is the only provider in New Zealand for a number of specialised tests.

For further information please contact

Dr Peter Moore, Clinical Director, telephone (64 3) 364-0307
email: peter.moore@cdhb.govt.nz

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