Dr Jennifer Wheatley
Paediatric Surgeon
It can be stressful when your child requires an operation. Much of the concern involves seeking out someone to consult and ensuring that treatment is followed through to completion. Sometimes things happen along the way and it is reassuring that the surgeon you have chosen is available to ask questions and to deal with any issues that crop up. Ideally the hospital you attend and the consulting rooms are easy to find and access and the staff are pleasant and friendly. Hopefully you feel that the information you have been given answers all of your concerns and that you feel able to ask as many questions as you wish.
My main practice rooms are in Bulleen with a secondary site in Bundoora. I am happy to take referrals directly from the General Practice community, Paediatricians, other surgical colleagues and Emergency services across Melbourne, particularly Northern Health, Austin Health and Eastern Health. Regarding emergency referrals, I am accessible and can usually provide a consultation urgently.
My interests are varied but I aim is to provide a full range of paediatric surgical services to the wider community. I maintain close links with colleagues at the Royal Children’s and Monash Hospital services, such that complex patients can be linked into those services if needed.
Surgical services that I provide on a regular basis include penile surgery (circumcision, hypospadias correctional surgery and the treatment of penile conditions), inguinal and scrotal surgery (inguinal hernia, hydrocele and undescended testis surgery), umbilical surgery, tongue tie, head and neck surgery, evaluation of lumps and bumps and skin lesions. I am happy to see patients with acute and chronic abdominal pain, constipation and bowel dysfunction (both acute and long term), urinary tract dysfunction such as recurrent infections, wetting and urinary reflux. I have close communication with other colleagues such that referral to general paediatricians, other paediatric medical colleagues and allied health practitioners is simple. My public operating sessions are at Northern Health and Box Hill hospitals. My private operating sessions are at Northpark Private, Mitcham private and St Vincent’s Hospital (East Melbourne).
My training was in Sydney where I gained fellowships in adult general surgery and paediatric surgery. I have also spent time in New York in particular gaining experience with paediatric cancer surgery. I was involved in the liver transplant program in Melbourne and assisting in the establishment of the paediatric program. I am a senior lecturer in Paediatrics with Melbourne University, coaching the medical student group who are based at Northern Health. I particularly enjoy educating junior doctors and aspiring surgical and paediatric trainees within the public health sector.
My outside interests are wide and varied from music theatre, singing, painting, kayaking, stand up surfing and enjoying quiet times walking along the beach.