Southern Cross Gillies Hospital

Specialist Cochlear Implant Surgery for Patients in Northern New Zealand

Southern Cross Gillies Hospital provides cochlear implant surgery as part of the Northern Cochlear Implant Programme (NCIP). As a trusted partner to the Northern Cochlear Implant Trust (NCIT), the hospital delivers high-quality surgical care to children and adults who qualify for publicly funded cochlear implants in New Zealand.

Cochlear Implant Surgery in a Specialist Facility

Located in Epsom, Auckland, Gillies Hospital is known for its expertise in ear, nose and throat (ENT) procedures. It is the primary surgical centre for NCIP patients requiring cochlear implants across the upper North Island.

Southern Cross Gillies Hospital provides surgical services in a private hospital setting with a focus on safety, precision, and continuity of care. Cochlear implant surgeries are performed by a dedicated team of ENT surgeons with specialist training in otology and implantable hearing devices.

 As a surgical provider to the Northern Cochlear Implant Programme, Gillies Hospital plays a vital role in ensuring that patients receive timely access to cochlear implant procedures. Surgery is coordinated in close partnership with audiology and rehabilitation teams, helping ensure that patients transition smoothly between stages of their care.

Cochlear implant surgeries at Gillies are typically day procedures, carried out under general anaesthetic in state-of-the-art operating theatres.

A Team of Specialist ENT Surgeons

The cochlear implant surgical team at Southern Cross Gillies Hospital includes five highly qualified ENT surgeons. Each surgeon brings extensive experience in managing hearing loss and conducting complex ear surgeries, including cochlear implantation.

These specialists work closely with the audiology and therapy teams at The Hearing House and under the direction of the Northern Cochlear Implant Trust to deliver safe, effective outcomes for every patient.

Each surgeon is involved not only in operating, but also in pre-surgical assessments and post-operative follow-up, ensuring continuity of care throughout the cochlear implant process.

Gillies Hospital (Epsom, Auckland)

Southern Cross Gillies Hospital, in Epsom, is designed with a focus on short stay surgery and family-centred care.

The hospital has four theatres, a purpose built day-stay facility and 20 in-patient beds with ensuite facilities.

A centre of expertise for head and neck surgery and otolaryngology (ENT), it also offers oral and maxillofacial, gynaecological, plastic and reconstructive and general paediatric surgery, backed up by friendly, highly professional nursing teams and systems designed to benefit patients of all ages.

Meet the surgeons:

Dr Michel Neeff

FRACS, MD

A neurotologist and skull base surgeon who trained at the University of Auckland, then completed fellowships in Manchester (skull base surgery/cochlear implants) and Cincinnati (paediatric ENT), before returning in 2007 to become ENT Consultant and Clinical Director at Starship Children’s, Auckland City and Green Lane Hospitals. He is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Auckland, founder and director of ENT Associates, and currently serves as Surgeon and Chair of the Northern Cochlear Implant Programme.

Dr Colin Brown

MB ChB (Otago 1986), FRACS 1995

A specialist ear surgeon and otolaryngologist based at Gillies Hospital, Auckland and Starship Children’s Hospital, where he has practiced for over 25 years. A past president of the Australasian Society of Paediatric Otolaryngology, he serves as senior surgeon for the Northern Cochlear Implant Programme, chairs the Starship Microtia‑Atresia clinic, and directs the Hearing House habilitation centre.

Dr David Flint

MB ChB (Auckland 1992), FRACS (Otol) 2001

A fellowship-trained otolaryngologist who specialises in paediatric and adult otology, nasal and sinus surgery, and general ENT. Since 2005 he has served as a consultant at Waitematā and Counties Manukau DHBs and is a senior lecturer in the Department of Surgery at the University of Auckland.

Dr Melanie Collins

MB BS (London 1987), FRCS (Otol) 1999, CCST (UK) Otol 2002

A consultant otologist at Waitematā DHB and in private practice across Auckland, including at Kākāriki, North Shore, and Mercy hospitals. She trained in the UK with further fellowship in neuro‑otology in Adelaide (2001), and specialises in chronic otitis media, cholesteatoma, exostoses, hearing loss surgeries—including cochlear implants—and is part of the adult Northern Cochlear Implant Programme.

‍Dr Tanja Jelicic

MD, FRCSC (Canada) 2019

A consultant paediatric and adult ear, nose, and throat surgeon at Starship Children’s, Auckland City and Greenlane hospitals, as well as in private practice at Mt Hobson Specialist Centre . She completed specialist training in Canada followed by an otology and neurotology fellowship in Auckland, joined the Northern Cochlear Implant Programme in 2024, and performs complex ear and skull base surgery including cochlear implants and microtia/atresia reconstruction.

Role Within the Northern Cochlear Implant Programme (NCIP)

As one of the core clinical partners to the Northern Cochlear Implant Programme, Southern Cross Gillies Hospital is responsible for delivering the surgical component of the programme. The NCIP is coordinated by the Northern Cochlear Implant Trust and is publicly funded for eligible patients. 

Gillies Hospital operates within NCIT’s governance structure, with clear quality and performance reporting requirements. Surgical outcomes, timelines, and patient safety metrics are regularly reviewed as part of the Trust’s oversight process.

Northern Cochlear Implant Programme

Surgery at Gillies is part of an integrated care pathway that includes:

Audiology assessments and candidacy evaluations (via The Hearing House)

Surgical planning and cochlear implant procedures (via Gillies Hospital)

Post-surgical programming and therapy (habilitation and rehabilitation)

This coordination ensures a consistent experience for patients across all stages of their treatment.

Located south of Taupō? Check out The Southern Cochlear Implant Programme (SCIP)

SCIP

A Trusted Healthcare Provider

Southern Cross Gillies Hospital is part of the Southern Cross Healthcare network, New Zealand’s largest independent healthcare organisation. Gillies has a long-standing reputation for excellence in ENT care and is one of the few facilities in Aotearoa with the infrastructure and clinical expertise to perform cochlear implant surgery at scale.

With a focus on clinical excellence, patient safety, and evidence-based care, the hospital continues to support improved hearing outcomes for New Zealanders who qualify for cochlear implants under the national programme.

Visit Southern Cross

A couple walking wearing Cochlear Implants

Get in Touch

If you are seeking cochlear implant services or information about eligibility, referrals, or the cochlear implant programme, we welcome enquiries from individuals, families, and health professionals.

Contact Us