Cardiovascular services

Vascular diseases involve problems with the blood vessels of the body. Most often, vascular disease can slow down or block blood flow inside the arteries and veins and may involve more than one part of the body.

The Auckland Regional Vascular Service works with patients from Central Auckland up to Cape Reinga. We provide medical and surgical assessment and treatment for vascular conditions, including education and support for patients and whānau.

Who we are
Our team includes vascular surgeons, highly-skilled nurses – including nurse specialists and nurse practitioners– physiotherapists, occupational therapists and more, to ensure the best possible care and treatments. Our Māori health rōpū (teams) enhance our services through Te Ao Māori values approaches that support all aspects of wellbeing.

Where we are
Our inpatient ward is located in Ward 41, Level 4, Auckland City Hospital.

Referral
If you have a non-urgent vascular problem, your GP will write a referral requesting an appointment at our clinic.

Your appointment
If accepted, you will be booked to see a doctor or nurse practitioner who can diagnose and recommend treatment options including lifestyle, medications, and medical procedures such as laser treatments, or surgery. We welcome you to bring whānau or a support person to your appointments.

Find more information on Healthpoint.

Cardiology is the medical specialty that looks at all parts of the heart including the heart muscle, the valves inside the heart, the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart muscle, and the electrical system that controls the heart rate and rhythm.

The heart is one of the most complex organs in the body. As a result, there are many different specialties within cardiology, including heart failure (reduced pumping function of the heart), coronary artery disease (plaques in the blood vessels supplying the heart), valve disease (heart valves that do not open fully or leak when they close) and arrhythmias (a heartbeat that is abnormally slow, fast or not regular).

Who we are
Your heart healthcare might be delivered by a team of healthcare professionals including a cardiologist or other heart doctor, nurses including nurse specialists and nurse practitioners, sonographers, physiologists or technicians. We collaborate with other experts to provide care that supports you to live well with a heart condition.

Our Māori health team includes a nurse specialist Māori health, and supports patients and whānau along their journey. Through Te Ao Māori values and approaches, we can offer the best possible care that supports and strengthens all aspects of wellbeing.

Where we are
Our cardiology inpatient wards are located on Level 3 at Auckland City Hospital. Outpatient clinics are located at either Greenlane Clinical Centre or Auckland City Hospital.

Referral
If you have a non-urgent heart problem, your GP will send a referral to the cardiology department to request an outpatient clinic.

Your appointment
At your initial appointment, you will see either a doctor or an expert nurse, who may request further tests such as a blood test, an electrocardiogram (ECG), an exercise treadmill test or an echocardiogram. You are welcome to bring whānau or a support person to your appointments.

Find more information on Healthpoint.

Cardiothoracic surgery involves the surgical treatment of organs inside the chest, mostly the heart and lungs.

There are many different types of cardiothoracic surgery, ranging from heart valve replacement to a heart transplant to treating lung cancer, and more.

We are one of the largest cardiothoracic services in Australasia, performing around 1,200 heart surgeries per year. With a legacy spanning over 60 years, our service has earned global recognition as a leader in heart surgery innovation.

Who we are
We are a regional service, providing heart and lung surgery for patients across Auckland and Northland. We provide many specialist services and carry out highly complex surgeries for patients across Aotearoa New Zealand, including congenital heart surgeries (heart problems present at birth) and heart and lung transplants.

Care before and after surgery is delivered by a team of specialist doctors, skilled nurses and other health professionals, including pharmacists, physiotherapists, health psychologists, Māori health teams and Pacific health teams.

Where we are
Our inpatient ward is located in Ward 42, Level 4, Auckland City Hospital.

Referral
If you need heart or lung surgery, you will be referred by a specialist doctor.

Your appointment
If you are having a planned surgery, your healthcare team will meet with you and your whānau to explain how to prepare and what to expect during and after surgery, including how to best support your recovery. You may want to write down key questions to make sure you and your whānau have all the information needed to support your healthcare decisions.

Find more information on Healthpoint. (external link)

This is a specialised department that provides intensive care and high-dependency level care for adult patients with conditions related to heart, lung and blood vessel surgery.

We are divided into two areas:

• Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) where the sickest patients are cared for
• High Dependency Unit (HDU) where patients who are not well enough to return to the hospital wards are treated.

We also have the National Centre for Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO), a form of life support not available anywhere else in New Zealand. ECMO performs the critical job of the heart and lungs while patients receive the treatment they need to live.

Who we are
Our team includes expert doctors, specialised nurses, health psychologists, physiotherapists, pharmacists and more, to support your wellbeing and recovery. Our Māori health teams including Nurse Specialist Māori Health, support patients and whānau along their journey. Through Te Ao Māori values and approaches, we can offer the best possible care that supports and strengthens all aspects of wellbeing.

Staying in CVICU
Patients in intensive care are usually critically unwell and often require support for one or more of their vital organs such as their heart, lungs or kidneys. Some patients may be kept under close monitoring – such as after heart and lung surgery. Critical care nurses look after one, or at the most, two patients at a time. Doctors are always present in the unit, day and night.

Being in intensive care is often a very confusing and frightening experience for both patients and their whānau. We aim to deliver care that respects the needs, values and preferences of our patients and their loved ones. An important part of our work is to try and help patients and whānau understand what is happening throughout their illness.

Find more information on Healthpoint.

The Green Lane Paediatric and Congenital Cardiac Service (PCCS) is the sole provider of cardiology and cardiac surgical services for infants and children with congenital and acquired heart disease in New Zealand and parts of the Pacific basin. 

Find more information on Healthpoint. (external link)

We offer transplant surgery and care to patients with advanced heart or lung disease all across Aotearoa.

The NZ cardiac transplant programme began in 1987 and currently performs around 20 heart transplants each year. In 2005, the VAD (Ventricular Assist Device) programme was started, providing life-saving support for certain patients who become unwell while they are waiting for a heart transplant. A VAD is a mechanical pump that is surgically placed into the chest and assists a failing heart by pumping blood around the body.

The NZ lung transplant programme began in 1993 and currently performs around 25 lung transplants each year.

Who we are
We are an experienced team of health professionals, including nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, social workers, dieticians and health psychologists. Working together, we ensure the best outcomes for patients and their whānau with support and education throughout the transplant journey.

We are committed to delivering high-quality care and support to Māori patients and whānau. The Nurse Specialist Maori Health Heart & Lung Transplant role was introduced in 2023 to enhance care and experiences using Māori Health models, mātauranga Māori and culturally safe practices.

Hearty Towers, a motel-type facility located at the Greenlane site, serves as a valuable asset to our service, providing comprehensive care and support for patients and whānau, and access to nursing and medical support as required.

Referral
Patients with end-stage heart or lung disease are referred by a specialist to the transplant team. After reviewing the medical information, the transplant team may ask patients and their whānau to travel to Auckland for a full transplant assessment. This assessment usually takes around one week and involves a number of appointments and tests. The team work closely with patients and whānau to explain what is involved before, during and after transplant.

Find more information on Healthpoint.