Contact
Phone: (02) 7825 3235
Email: SCHN-CHW-generalsurgery@health.nsw.gov.au
Location: Diagnostic Services Building, Level 3
If your child is acutely unwell, please seek medical attention from your family doctor (GP), local emergency department, Healthdirect, or call an ambulance (dial 000).
About our service
Our team is made up of highly skilled and experienced and dedicated doctors, nurses and administration staff who work to deliver first class care for children and babies requiring surgery.
Many children we see only require a one-off operation while others need ongoing follow-up and management by one of our specialist surgical teams.
We provide district, tertiary and quaternary general surgery services to children from local, metropolitan, regional and rural areas.
General surgery is also responsible for a range of subspecialty services including:
Our core business consists of surgical outpatient clinics and elective surgery, including:
- care for children with paediatric surgical conditions, urological and colorectal problems
- burns and trauma management
- thoracic surgery
- surgical intervention for children with cancer
- liver and kidney transplants
- surgical management and intervention for premature babies
- neonatal consultations
- 24-hour emergency surgical services for children presenting to the Emergency Department, children transferred from other hospitals, and inpatients of the hospital.
Elective surgical procedures are generally done on a day-stay basis. Depending on the complexity of the procedure, surgical patients may need to stay in hospital overnight in the surgical ward or one of our specialist wards.
Referral process for clinicians
Our department is using Consultmed to manage referrals. The Consultmed platform allows health professionals to send e-referrals to us securely.
Consultmed questions and technical support: helpdesk@consultmed.co
Referral and appointment process for parents and carers
Request a referral
To make an appointment at our clinic, you will need a referral from your GP, paediatrician or specialist.
They will assess your child, discuss your concerns, and make a referral to the appropriate service.
Track your referral
Our department uses Consultmed to manage referrals. Your referring clinician sends the e-referral to us using the secure Consultmed platform.
Once we receive the referral, we will send you an email with your tracking information. We will update you as we process the referral and book your appointment.
To receive these updates, please ask your referring clinician to include your email on the referral.
If your clinician has questions about Consultmed or require technical support, they can contact helpdesk@consultmed.co.
Need support?
If you need help or have questions about the referral and appointment process, please contact us.
Phone: (02) 7825 0922
Email:
Surgical review appointments
Patients have the choice of being seen as a public patient in the Outpatients department or in the surgeon’s private rooms.
All of the Paediatric surgeons have monthly public outpatients in the Bandaged Bear clinic. This is located on level 2 beside the Starbucks Café.
Referrals are managed via Consultmed (see above).
Appointment process for other surgeons
Dr Anirudh Deshpande - Head of Department of Surgery: General paediatric surgery and Urology
- Dr Deshpande has outpatient clinics in the Bandaged Bear outpatients and appointments can be made by contacting (02) 7825 0922
- Referrals via Consultmed (see above)
Dr Angus Alexander: General surgery and paediatric urology (including hypospadias)
- Dr Angus Alexander has public clinics at Hornsby Hospital and appointments can be made by calling (02) 9477 9146
- Referrals via Consultmed (see above)
Dr Rachel D’Cruz: Burns and general surgery
- Dr Rachel D'Cruz only conducts Burns and General clinics in the Outpatient Department at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead
- Referrals via Consultmed (see above)
Dr Jinny Foo: Paediatric, gynaecology
- Dr Jinny Foo only conducts clinics in the Outpatient Department at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead
- Referrals via Consultmed (see above)
Dr Mathew George: General surgery, hepatobiliary and transplant
- Dr George has clinics in the department of surgery and appointments can be made by calling (02) 9845 3159
- Referrals via Consultmed (see above)
Dr Sarah Giutronich: Paediatric urology (including hypospadias) and general surgery
- Dr Sarah Giutronich does not conduct public outpatient clinics
- Dr Sarah Giutronich has private clinics in the Department of Surgery and appointments can be made by calling (02) 7825 3349
Professor Andrew Holland: General surgery, hypospadias and burns
- Professor Holland’s private rooms are at the specialist Medial Centre in Westmead and also in Crow’s Nest. Bookings for either of these locations can be made via telephone 1300 362 278
- Professor Holland also sees Outpatients at Royal North Shore Hospital. To make an appointment here please phone (02) 9463 1400
Dr Jonathan Karpelowsky: General and thoracic surgery, oncology, hepatobiliary
- Dr Karpelowsky has rooms at the Children’s Hospital Medical Centre. Appointments can be made by calling 1300 857 845
Dr Erik La Hei: General surgery, thoracic and burns
- Rooms at The Children’s Hospital’s Medical Centre are booked by phone on 1300 857 845
- Private rooms are in Stanmore are booked by phone on (02) 9564 5777
- Fox Valley Medical & Dental Centre, Wahroonga are booked by phone on (02) 9564 5778
Dr Catherine Langusch: General surgery, endocrine and head and neck
- Dr Langusch has rooms at The Paediatric Specialists, Suite 2 Level 1, 22 George Street, Strathfield and appointments can be made by calling (02) 8960 9455.
- Dr Langusch also has a public clinic at Nepean Hospital and appointments can be made by email: NBMLHD-WCHReferrals@health.nsw.gov.au
Dr Torey Lawrence: General surgery, burns and colorectal
- Rooms at the Children’s Hospital’s Medical Centre are booked by phone on: (02) 9845 0782
- Dr Lawrence also runs a Colorectal Clinic in the Department of Surgery and appointments can be made by calling (02) 7825 3383
Dr Gideon Sandler: General surgery, thoracic, head and neck and trauma
- Dr Gideon Sandler has public clinics in the Department of Surgery and appointments can be made by calling (02) 7825 3341
- He also sees patients in Orange Base Hospital and appointments can be made by calling (02) 7825 3341
Dr Grahame Smith: Paediatric urology (including Hypospadias)
- Dr Grahame Smith does not conduct public outpatient clinics
- Dr Grahame Smith has private clinics in the Department of Surgery and appointments can be made by calling (02) 7825 3341
- He has private clinics at Westmead Private Hospital and Wahroonga
Dr Soundappan Soundappan: General surgery, hypospadias, trauma and colorectal
- Rooms in the Department of Surgery are booked by phone on (02) 7825 3341
- Dr Soundappan’s private rooms are in Westmead – bookings by phone on (02) 9633 3166
Associate Professor Gordon Thomas: Hepatobiliary, general surgery, transplants and urology (including hypospadias)
- Rooms at the Children’s Hospital’s Medical Centre are booked on (02) 7825 3159
Coming to the hospital for surgery
Preparing for surgery
- Depending on your child’s medical history and the complexity of the procedure, some children need to attend a pre-admission clinic appointment prior to surgery. At this appointment, your child will be reviewed by an anaesthetic doctor.
- Our staff will contact you about this appointment once you have been given a procedure date.
- We will send you a letter confirming the admission date which includes important information about coming to hospital.
Unfortunately, sometimes we need to reschedule planned surgeries to accommodate emergency or urgent cases. We try our best to avoid this, however, if necessary we will contact you to let you know and to reschedule your child's surgery.
Before surgery
- We will call you approximately one week before your child's surgery to complete a wellness check.
- Most children will have surgery and go home on the same day. However, some children need to stay in hospital for a few days.
- Your child will be admitted for surgery through Middleton Day Stay Unit regardless of how long your child stays in hospital.
- Middleton nursing staff will call you the day before your child's surgery to give you fasting and arrival times for the next day.
Following surgery
- Following surgery, day-only surgery patients are transferred to a post-operative lounge where they are prepared for discharge.
- We will give you verbal and written instructions on how to care for your child at home.
- We will also give you the after-hours contact information if you need to contact us.
Patients who need to stay in hospital longer are transferred to a ward. On arrival at the ward, the nurse who will look after your child will show you around the ward and answer any questions you may have.
When your child is ready to go home, the nursing team will give you instructions on how to care for your child at home and what to do in the event you need to contact us.
Your child will require post-operative follow-up and an appointment to see the surgeon.
