MSQ Health - FAQs

GP referral is required for mental health (psychiatry) and surgical services — this ensures continuity of care. Our TeleGP service does not require a prior referral. If you don’t have a referral, our team can advise on how to obtain one — contact us and we’ll guide you through the process.

Across all services, MSQ Health typically offers appointments within a matter of weeks — significantly faster than the public system. TeleGP appointments are often available same day or next day. We recommend reaching out as soon as possible so we can find the earliest available option for you.

Yes — MSQ Health is an approved Southern Cross Easy-Claim provider. We process eligible claims directly at the time of your appointment — no forms, no waiting, no chasing reimbursements. We also accept NIB and UniMed. Confirm your specific cover with your insurer before your appointment.

Yes. MSQ Health’s mental health service treats adults, young people, and children and adolescents. Our child and adolescent psychiatry service covers ADHD, anxiety, depression, and behavioural disorders — with parents and caregivers closely involved throughout.

The Shouldice technique is the gold standard in pure tissue hernia repair — no synthetic mesh, local anaesthetic only, performed in a procedure room, and you walk out within 90 minutes. It’s typically around half the cost of laparoscopic surgery. MSQ Health is the only provider in New Zealand offering Shouldice repair in a procedure room setting.

HBOT (Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy) involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurised chamber — dramatically increasing oxygen delivery to the brain and body. Used for Long COVID, brain fog, TBI, depression, and more. rTMS (Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) uses focused magnetic pulses to stimulate specific brain regions — FDA-cleared for depression, and used for anxiety, ADHD, OCD, PTSD, and chronic pain. Both are available at MSQ Health.

Yes — always. Across every MSQ Health service, full fees are communicated clearly before you commit to anything. No hidden costs, no surprise invoices after the fact. Contact our team for a personalised fee estimate for your specific service.

A GP referral is strongly recommended — and unlike some other providers, we treat this as a clinical priority, not a bureaucratic box to tick. Your GP holds your complete medication history and existing diagnoses. This is directly relevant to whether stimulant medication is safe for you. Skipping it creates genuine risk. If you don’t have a referral yet, our team can guide you through obtaining one.

You will see either a Prescribing Nurse Practitioner (PNP) or a Consultant Psychiatrist — both qualified to assess, diagnose, and prescribe for ADHD. You will not be seen by a counsellor first. The choice between PNP and Psychiatrist depends on the complexity of your presentation. We can advise which is most appropriate when you enquire.

A comprehensive ADHD assessment typically involves a clinical interview with a psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner, review of background history, and where relevant, structured rating scales and collateral information. The full process may involve one or more sessions depending on complexity. Please enquire directly for a personalised estimate of timing and cost.

The medication pathway usually follows your FSA (first specialist assessment).  This is a full follow-up (FUP) assessment which includes your formal assessment, your prescription, a personalised treatment plan, and two 15-minute follow-up consultations — included in the pathway price, not charged as extras. These follow-ups are where your clinician reviews your response to medication and adjusts the dose to what works best for you. Getting stimulant dosing right takes observation over time; the follow-ups are the mechanism that makes your treatment effective, not optional additions. All MSQ patients have experienced exactly what they were quoted — no cost surprises.

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive, drug-free therapy using magnetic pulses to stimulate targeted brain regions. It’s clinically proven and used for ADHD, depression, and anxiety where medication alone hasn’t been fully effective. Whether it’s appropriate for you will be assessed by your psychiatrist as part of your treatment plan.

MSQ Health is an approved Southern Cross Easy-Claim provider, and we bill at correct specialist rates. Coverage depends on your specific policy level. We recommend checking your cover before booking — our team can help advise on what is likely claimable for your policy. For patients with good specialist cover, the real out-of-pocket cost is often significantly less than the quoted fee.

Yes. Telehealth appointments are available for patients anywhere in New Zealand via a secure video platform. The quality of clinical care is identical to in-person visits. Many patients prefer telehealth for its convenience. Our clinicians will confirm which appointment types are available via telehealth when you book.

Telehealth appointments at MSQ Health are conducted via a secure video platform accessible from any device with a camera and internet connection. They’re available to patients anywhere in New Zealand. The quality of clinical care is identical to in-person visits — our psychiatrists will confirm which appointment types are available via telehealth when you book.

Yes. MSQ Health provides ADHD assessments and treatment for both adults and children/adolescents. Our child and adolescent psychiatry service is sensitive to the specific developmental context of younger patients and involves parents and caregivers closely throughout the process.

Typically, within weeks — significantly faster than the public system, where waits of 6–24 months are common. Availability varies, so we recommend reaching out as soon as possible. Contact us, and we’ll find the earliest available option for you.

Yes — the Shouldice technique is performed under local anaesthetic, so you are awake throughout. This sounds daunting to many patients before their procedure, but in practice most people are genuinely surprised by how comfortable and manageable it is. The local anaesthetic numbs the area completely before the surgeon begins. You may feel gentle pressure but not pain.

Our surgeons regularly check in during the procedure and can administer additional local anaesthetic if needed. Most patients describe it as far less stressful than they expected.

General anaesthetic is required for laparoscopic hernia surgery because the camera and instruments work from inside the abdominal cavity, which cannot be done while a patient is awake. The Shouldice repair is an open technique that accesses the hernia directly through a groin incision — it works beautifully under local anaesthetic.

Avoiding general anaesthetic means no fasting beforehand, no post-operative grogginess or nausea, no anaesthetist fee, and a significantly faster recovery from the procedure itself.

In most cases, a combination of anaesthesia and oral sedation is used. While you may be semi-conscious — able to hear the team and respond to questions — the sedation induces temporary amnesia, meaning most patients have no memory of the procedure afterward.

This is intentional: it ensures that even if you are aware during surgery, you won’t retain the experience, significantly reducing the risk of surgical-related anxiety or trauma after the fact.

Laparoscopic hernia surgery involves three major cost components: the surgeon’s fee, a specialist anaesthetist’s fee, and a private hospital theatre and facility fee. The Shouldice repair at MSQ Health eliminates two of those three — there is no anaesthetist and no hospital booking. There is also no cost for a mesh implant.

The result is a significantly lower overall fee, typically around half of what a comparable private laparoscopic repair would cost — with no compromise in surgical quality or outcomes.

Synthetic mesh has been used widely in hernia repair for decades and is effective for many patients. However, mesh complications are real and well-documented — including chronic groin pain (which can be permanent), mesh infection, seroma formation, and adhesions to surrounding structures. In some cases, mesh must be surgically removed.

The incidence of mesh-related complications varies across studies, but estimates for chronic pain range from 5–20%. The Shouldice repair eliminates all mesh-related risks by using only the patient’s own tissue — no foreign material is implanted at any stage.

The ideal Shouldice candidate has a primary (first-time) inguinal hernia, is a healthy body weight (BMI under 30), and has good tissue quality. A surgical assessment with one of our surgeons is the definitive way to confirm suitability.

At your consultation, the surgeon will examine your hernia, review your medical history, and give you a clear, honest recommendation. If you’re not suitable for the Shouldice technique, we’ll tell you why and help you understand what options are available to you.

When performed by experienced surgeons on appropriately selected patients, the Shouldice technique achieves recurrence rates comparable to mesh repair — typically under 2% in specialist settings.

The Shouldice Hospital in Canada, where the technique was developed, has published long-term recurrence rates of approximately 1% over tens of thousands of procedures. Patient selection is critical — the technique delivers these results in suitable candidates. This is why our surgeons assess each patient carefully before recommending the procedure.

MSQ Health accepts Southern Cross, NIB, and UniMed for Shouldice hernia repair. Cover varies between policies — some fully cover elective surgery, others partially, and some have waiting periods.

We strongly recommend calling your insurer to confirm your surgical benefit before your assessment appointment. Our team can help you with the procedure codes and documentation your insurer needs to provide a cover confirmation.

Yes — a GP referral is required before your surgical assessment. This ensures your GP is informed and your care is properly coordinated. If you haven’t yet seen your GP about your hernia, that’s a worthwhile first step.

Contact us and our team can guide you on how to obtain a referral efficiently so your assessment is not delayed.

MSQ Health typically offers surgical assessments within weeks — compared to the 6–18 month public waits that are common for hernia repair in New Zealand. Contact us today and our team will confirm the earliest available appointment.

Your initial consultation can often be arranged via telehealth, meaning you can get expert advice from home before attending in person for your examination.

MSQ Health’s sit-down HBOT chamber is specifically designed for comfort. You’re seated upright — not lying flat in a confined tube — and you have enough room to stretch. The only sensation most patients notice is mild ear pressure as the chamber pressurises, similar to the feeling of descending in an aircraft. This resolves immediately when the chamber depressurises at the end of your session.

HBOT is one of the safest medical therapies available. There are no systemic side effects. The only common sensation is temporary mild ear pressure — like popping ears when descending in a plane. Some patients feel mildly tired after early sessions as their body adjusts to the increased oxygen, but this typically resolves after the first few sessions. Oxygen toxicity is not a risk at the pressure and session duration used in therapeutic HBOT.

For most conditions, a course of 40–60 sessions is recommended to achieve lasting clinical benefit. Some patients notice improvements after 10–20 sessions, but the full therapeutic effect and to reduce the likelihood of recurrence — particularly for neurological conditions, tissue repair, and chronic inflammation — accumulate over the full course. Our clinical team will design a personalised protocol for your specific condition and review your progress throughout.

Each session is typically 60–90 minutes of treatment time at pressure, plus around 10–15 minutes each for pressurisation and depressurisation. Most patients plan for approximately 90–120 minutes per visit. Sessions are generally scheduled 5 days per week for maximum benefit, though our team will work with your availability and condition requirements.

2 ATA (atmospheres absolute) means the air pressure inside the chamber is twice normal atmospheric pressure. At this level, oxygen dissolves directly into blood plasma — bypassing haemoglobin — and reaches concentrations up to 10 times higher than normal. This allows oxygen to penetrate deeply into tissues with poor blood flow, including injured brain tissue, tendons, and surgical wounds. The pressure level is critically important — lower-pressure chambers produce meaningfully weaker clinical effects.

Insurance coverage for HBOT varies depending on your policy and the condition being treated. Our team will help you understand what cover may be available and provide the documentation your insurer requires. We recommend contacting your insurer before commencing treatment to confirm your entitlements. Please contact us to discuss your specific situation.

Absolutely — in fact, HBOT often works best as part of a broader treatment programme. It combines particularly well with rTMS for neurological and mental health conditions, physiotherapy for injury recovery, and post-surgical rehabilitation. MSQ Health can integrate HBOT into a comprehensive treatment plan alongside our other services.

HBOT is suitable for most people, but there are some contraindications — including untreated pneumothorax (collapsed lung) and certain ear conditions. A full clinical assessment is conducted before your first session to confirm suitability. If you have any existing medical conditions, please mention them when enquiring and our team will advise.

Yes — for funded HBOT, a GP/Specialist referral is required. This also ensures your GP/Specialist is informed and your care is properly coordinated. 

If you are self-funding, no referral is required.

Contact our team, and we can guide you on how to obtain a referral efficiently.

We can get an HBOT specialist to give you a free initial consultation.  Contact us today and our team will confirm the earliest available appointment.

Your initial consultation can often be arranged via telehealth, meaning you can get expert advice from home before attending in person for your examination.