About Andy Thompson

Originally from Newcastle upon Tyne in the UK, Andy studied medicine at St Andrews and Manchester. After early surgical training in the UK, he completed specialist orthopaedic training in New Zealand, gaining Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 2015.

Andy completed a fellowship in trauma and joint replacement at Hutt Hospital, followed by a year-long fellowship in primary and revision hip and knee replacement at Wrightington Hospital in the UK. Sir John Charnley pioneered hip replacement surgery at Wrightington in the early 1960s. Andy also completed a World Orthopaedic Concern travelling fellowship at Ganga Hospital in India and undertook a visitation to the Helios ENDO-Klinik in Hamburg, Germany.

Andy has practised in Whanganui since 2018. During his time there, he has served as Surgical Supervisor for the New Zealand Orthopaedic Association (NZOA) training programme and Clinical Director of Orthopaedics. Andy will return to Wellington in January 2027.

Andy also treats knee sports injuries, including meniscal tears, kneecap dislocation or instability, and ACL injuries. The clinic can help arrange appointments for ACC-covered hip and knee injuries.

Andy has helped train medical students and orthopaedic trainees and has served on the teaching faculty for hip and knee replacement courses. His research interests include joint replacement outcomes and implant selection, with contributions to studies using New Zealand Joint Registry data.

Andy listens to your concerns, reviews the available information and explains the options in plain language. Surgery is not always the first step. If surgery is an option, he will discuss the expected benefits, limitations, risks and recovery with you before a decision is made.

Where appropriate, Andy can advise on rehabilitation and other treatments without surgery, including injections. Further tests may be helpful before deciding on treatment.