Dr Pip Shirley’s specialist experience in women’s health is broad.

Known for her friendliness, positivity, professionalism and thoroughness, Pip takes great pride in providing the highest quality care.

After completing her medical degree at the University of Otago, Pip worked in New Zealand’s busiest hospitals: Middlemore Hospital – Te Whatu Ora Counties Manukau; Auckland City Hospital – Te Whatu Ora Te Toka Tumai Auckland; and Christchurch Women’s Hospital – Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury.

Her post fellowship specialist training in Australia developed her surgical skills in advanced gynaecological and laparoscopic surgery. Her training has been in both complex benign and malignant disease. She has worked in several gynaecological cancer units.

Canterbury had always beckoned though and Pip returned to New Zealand to take up a consultant position at Christchurch Women’s Hospital. Today she divides her time between public work as a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Christchurch Women’s Hospital and private work at COGA.

Pip’s post fellowship advanced surgical training has given her significant experience in conducting the more technical surgical procedures including the treatment of menstrual irregularity, pre-cancerous conditions, pelvic masses and ovarian pathology. She also has a wealth of experience in obstetrics having worked in busy units in both New Zealand and Australia. Her surgical skills and personalised patient care are very evident in acute obstetrics where she will facilitate normal vaginal deliveries, instrumental deliveries (ventouse and forceps) and perform both emergency and elective caesarean sections. Pip is very empathic to patient choice and the development of a more inclusive planned elective caesarean section service.

Staying current with the latest in medical research is central to Pip’s approach, using new knowledge and techniques in her practice. Pip sees the role of minimal access surgery continuing to develop. Its role in gynaecology continues to increase. Laparoscopy avoids larger abdominal wounds, gives good visibility and access and enables accurate assessment. People with gynaecological issues can be treated quickly with fewer complications and experience faster recovery times.

Much of Pip’s work is around diagnosing and treating pre-malignant conditions before they become more sinister, focusing on prevention and screening. Pip performs cervical smears and sees patients with abnormal smear results and performs colposcopy and surgical management as required. She also performs risk reducing surgery to prevent ovarian cancer.

Pip enjoys the time and resources offered by private practice to fully educate her patients, offer options, and then work through them together. Sharing medical knowledge with people is important to her as is making her patients aware of all the choices available to them. The multidisciplinary approach that underpins COGA’s practice fits her philosophy well as she believes doctors are far more effective when they work together.