Welcome to Genetic Health Service NZ. We are a national service and provide expert genetic diagnostics and genetic counselling services, providing assistance, advice and education in managing genetic conditions. Our services are publicly funded for NZ residents as we are part of New Zealand’s public health system.
We provide the following services:
Diagnostic assessment of genetic disorders and information about genetic diagnoses
Diagnostic, pre-conception, prenatal or pre-symptomatic tests for genetic conditions
Assistance in the clinical management of genetic diseases and identification of preventable complications by early and accurate diagnosis and surveillance
Genetic counselling and management advice for the extended family of affected individuals
Telephone enquiry service for doctors, midwives and other health professionals concerning genetic diseases
Genetics education for professional and lay/community groups
Please note The NTS (National Travel Scheme) can help patients gain better and timely access to these clinic locations mentioned above.
Staff
Our staff consist of the following professionals:
Clinical Geneticists/Consultants: are medical doctors with specialist training in medical genetics. Patients are likely to see them before a diagnosis has been made. Below are the names of consultants working with Genetic Health Service NZ.
Genetic Counsellors/Associates: are healthcare professionals with training in human genetics and counselling. Genetic Counsellors are certified through the Human Genetics Society of Australasia. Patients are likely to see them about a known condition. Below are names of genetic counsellors working with Genetic Health Service NZ.
National Clinical Director
Dr Kate Neas (Central Hub)
Northern Hub
Clinical Geneticists Dr Ian Hayes, Clinical Director, Clinical Geneticist Dr Juliet Taylor, Clinical Geneticist Dr Raoul Heller, Clinical Geneticist Dr Candice Feben, Clinical Geneticist Dr Justine Anderson, Clinical Genetics Registrar
Clinical Geneticists Dr Kate Neas, Clinical Leader, Clinical Geneticist Dr Gemma Poke, Clinical Geneticist Dr Colina McKeown, Clinical Geneticist Dr Zoe Webster, Clinical Fellow
Genetic Counsellors Alice Christian, Team Leader, Senior Genetic Counsellor Emma Felix, Senior Genetic Counsellor Sally Jackson, Genetic Counsellor Sarah Collis, Genetic Counsellor Nadia Preitner, Genetic Counsellor Nicola Menzies, Genetic Counsellor
South Island Hub
Clinical Geneticists Dr Alex Henderson, Clinical Leader, Clinical Geneticist Professor Stephen Robertson, Clinical Geneticist Dr Mary Willis, Clinical Geneticist Dr Jessica Haydon-Clarke, Clinical Geneticist Dr Patrick Jung, Clinical Genetics Registrar
Genetic Associates Linda Cheng, Team Leader, Senior Genetic Associate Jan Sullivan, Senior Genetic Associate Suretha Erasmus, Genetic Counsellor Sebastian Barnard, Genetic Counsellor HPCSA Jordan Wood, Associate Genetic Counsellor
Referral Expectations
We accept referrals from general practitioners, hospital specialists and self-referrals from members of families known to the service. Referrals can be made through email or e-referrals. Our preference is for e-referrals.
Referrals will be given an urgent, semi-urgent or standard waiting list allocation. Phone advice is available if a clinician wants to discuss a case before considering making a referral to the service.
We have an on-call Genetic Counsellor and Clinical Geneticist during the working week to answer any urgent or general enquiries and referrals.
Please note that we have strict criteria regarding referrals from GPs and community providers, and referrals with incorrect or missing information will be sent back to the referrer for further follow-up or may cause delays in waiting times for the patient.
Patients are referred to the Genetics Clinics if:
a child is born with several abnormalities
there is a personal or family history of a genetic condition
a family member diagnosed with cancer at a young age
personal or family history of cancer consistent with referral guidelines which can be discussed with your GP or specialist.
Please include the standard referral information as outlined below:
Patient Details – full names, correct and current address, a valid contact number, date of birth, eligibility status and an NHI number
Clinical Details – the reason for referral, past history and co-morbidities, investigations carried out and their results, current medications and any drug allergies.
Family Details - please include all relevant information and medical records, investigations and family tree diagrams (3 generation family tree with gender and conditions specified).
Referrer Details – name, address and contact numbers of referrer/general practice.
For those who are at risk of having a cancer syndrome, please include the following in the referral:
Names, dates of birth and age at diagnosis of those relatives with cancer, with details of types of cancer diagnosed
A consent to release information form (general) - can be downloaded from the bottom of page
A Family Health Questionnaire - can be downloaded from the bottom of the page.
Consent to release information forms are given to patients when we require access to another family member’s medical record. If the family member is alive they must sign the consent form themselves. If the family member has passed away their next of kin or a close blood relative may sign the form.
It may be useful to have your patient fill out a family history questionnaire before referral because the family information will inform our triage and genetics assessment.
Please note that if basic standard or medical information is missing in the referral, it may be returned to the referrer to follow. Please check patient’s address and phone numbers as this is our only mode of contact to them.
Fees and Charges Description
All consultations with Genetic Services are provided free of charge for eligible residents. Like all hospitals, we are required to prioritise our service within our budget. However, all approved genetic testing is free of charge.
