Ultrasound in Hawke’s Bay: Where to Go and How to Book

Dr. Mark Bekhit, Radiologist  ·  Last updated August 2026

Where can I have an ultrasound in Hawke’s Bay?

The Hawke’s Bay public radiology service operates from Hawke’s Bay Hospital, 398 Omahu Road in Hastings.

For people living farther north, Wairoa Health provides ultrasound monthly, as at August 2026.

Private ultrasound examples include Onsite in Napier and Havelock North, Canopy’s Tomoana Hastings site and Unity in Hastings.

Start with the exact examination name on your referral. Use the Radiology Clinics NZ directory to find contact details for the relevant service.

Can I book an ultrasound directly?

Not without a referral. A healthcare provider must refer you for diagnostic ultrasound, whether the scan will be done publicly or privately. Once you have one, Unity says you can call for an appointment. After the examination, the radiologist sends the report to the provider who requested it.

The accepted referrer changes with the examination and pathway. Onsite requires a signed request from an accepted healthcare professional such as a GP, midwife or physiotherapist, while Unity accepts a doctor, midwife or physiotherapist referral. At Canopy, the Tomoana Hastings listing says ultrasound needs an appointment.

Under the national Community Referred Radiology programme, GPs, urgent-care doctors and nurse practitioners can refer eligible patients directly for diagnostic ultrasound. This remains clinician referral, not patient self-referral.

If you want the wider national picture, see how imaging referrals work in New Zealand.

What if I live in Wairoa?

Wairoa Health has ultrasound monthly, as at August 2026. The published page does not list which ultrasound examinations are available there.

Which service fits my referral?

Ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves and no radiation. It can examine abdominal organs, pregnancy, blood flow, the heart and some breast lumps, and it can guide a biopsy or injection. Each examination has its own name and preparation instructions.

The words on the request matter more than the broad label “ultrasound”. Doppler ultrasound examines blood flow, an echocardiogram examines the heart, and ultrasound can guide a biopsy or injection. These are different from a general abdominal, pelvic or pregnancy scan.

Local menus show why the exact name matters. Onsite lists pregnancy, musculoskeletal, abdominal, pelvic, small-parts and vascular scans. Unity lists musculoskeletal, maternity, abdominal, pelvic, urgent-DVT and selected image-guided services. Compare the examination name on the referral with the published menu.

Sometimes ultrasound is not the best test for the question. Your healthcare provider may choose another scan or X-ray instead; that is a clinical decision, not a booking inconvenience.

What will it cost?

A scan done at a public hospital usually has no charge. Eligible community-referred ultrasound is free when the national clinical criteria are met.

For an approved ACC claim, give the claim number to the provider. ACC contributes to appointment costs, but the patient charge is provider-specific: Unity lists ACC ultrasound as free, while Onsite says ACC scans may have a surcharge. Standard ultrasound is claimed under the Cost of Treatment Regulations; the supplier confirms eligibility when approval or cover is uncertain.

A private scan may be self-funded. Canopy’s Tomoana Hastings listing says fees apply, while Onsite says pregnancy and ACC scans may have surcharges. Medical insurance may cover some private scan cost. Put two separate questions: “Does my policy cover the exact ultrasound named on this referral at this provider, and is approval required under my policy?” to the insurer, and “What will I pay?” to the clinic. For more detail, see public versus private radiology and who qualifies for free imaging.

What should I ask when I book?

If no appointment letter or call arrives, contact the healthcare provider or hospital doctor who requested the scan. The NZ radiology wait-time guide explains why timing changes, and the clinic-finding guide helps if the referral can be directed privately.

For a first scan, see the questions to ask before imaging and the appointment checklist.

How do I prepare and get my results?

Preparation is scan-specific. Most ultrasounds need no special preparation; some require a full bladder, while others require no food for several hours. Follow the instructions sent with your appointment rather than a generic internet checklist.

Most scans take around 30 minutes (guidance checked August 2026). During an external scan, gel is placed on your skin and a hand-held probe records images from different angles. Some pelvic examinations use an internal vaginal or rectal probe; the referrer should discuss this with you, and you can usually request a female practitioner for a vaginal internal scan.

Bring prior ultrasound reports if you have them, because they can help with comparison. The detailed ultrasound preparation guide explains what full-bladder and fasting instructions are trying to achieve.

After the scan, a radiologist sends a report to the healthcare provider who requested it. That provider discusses the result at a follow-up appointment or sometimes by phone, email or text. Before leaving, record who will discuss the result and when that contact is expected.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an ultrasound service in Wairoa?

Yes. Wairoa Health provides ultrasound monthly, as at August 2026.

Can I book an ultrasound without a referral?

No. You need a referral from a healthcare provider for diagnostic ultrasound in the public or private system. Onsite requires a signed request and lists GPs, midwives and physiotherapists among accepted referrers. Unity accepts a doctor, midwife or physiotherapist referral.

Is ultrasound free in Hawke’s Bay?

A public-hospital scan usually has no charge, and eligible community-referred ultrasound is free when it meets the national clinical criteria. For an approved ACC claim, ACC contributes to appointment costs, but the patient charge differs: Unity lists ACC ultrasound as free, while Onsite says ACC scans may have a surcharge. Canopy’s Tomoana Hastings listing says private fees apply. Medical insurance may cover some private scan cost; insurer coverage and the clinic fee are separate booking questions.

What should I do if no appointment arrives?

If you receive no appointment letter or phone call, contact the healthcare provider or hospital doctor who requested the scan.

How long does an ultrasound take, and do I need to prepare?

Most ultrasound examinations take around 30 minutes, based on guidance checked in August 2026. Many need no preparation, but some require fasting or a full bladder. The instructions sent with your appointment are the ones to follow.

Sources and review

This page was clinically reviewed on 8 August 2026. Regional public locations and the monthly Wairoa service were checked against Health NZ’s Hawke’s Bay radiology page. Referral, preparation, safety, reporting and funding were checked against Health NZ’s ultrasound, scans and X-rays, and Community Referred Radiology pages, with additional preparation context from Healthify. Private locations and services were checked against the current provider-reviewed Healthpoint listings for Onsite, Canopy and Unity. They are examples, not rankings or a complete service count.

This article is general information, not personal medical advice. Ask your referrer which service is available, and ask the clinic whether public funding or ACC cover applies and what you will need to pay.

Author: Dr. Mark Bekhit

Dr Mark Bekhit (MBChB, FRANZCR) is a musculoskeletal radiologist practising in Brisbane and an AHPRA-registered specialist in diagnostic radiology (MED0002920947). He spends as much time building software as reading scans: he founded Imaging Finder (Australia) and Radiology Clinics NZ to make imaging easier to find, and builds radiology dictation and pain-tracking tools with one aim — better patient outcomes and a smoother reporting workflow. Outside the reading room he's usually training, bringing the same performance mindset to imaging.