THE TEAM: The team at SurgeryScope in Makhanda (from left) receptionists Liezel Olinsky and Gail Loutz, practice nurse Ethel Moolman, surgeon and owner of the practice Dr Michelle Walsh and anaesthetist Dr Gillian Jacobs. This month the practice celebrates its fifth year of serving the community of Makhanda and surrounds. Picture: SUE MACLENNAN
A small surgery born five years ago out of dire necessity has turned into a flourishing practice attracting patients from across the Eastern Cape, and even across the country, to Makhanda. SurgeryScope, in Milner Street, this month celebrates its fifth anniversary as it goes from strength to strength.
At the Milner Street rooms, surgeon and owner of the practice, Michelle Walsh performs endoscopies and minor surgery on patients who are at low risk under anaesthesia. Her professional partner in the surgery is anaesthetist Dr Gillian Jacobs.
How it started
“Every new business is a bit of a hunch,” said Walsh. “Even if you’ve done your research, it’s a risk.”
SurgeryScope was a case of necessity being the mother of invention, Walsh said.
“It was during Covid and the hospital closed its doors to surgical practice because we were busy with all those complications of Covid. That was fair and valid, but people needed help, as well, with other medical issues.”
The Milner Street premises became available and doctors in the area had said “Go for it, we’ll support you.”
The winners would be patients in Makhanda and surrounding areas.
The local community has been so enthusiastic about having the facility on their doorstep that they self-refer.
“I have to send them back to their GP for a referral, because your medical aid needs that,” Walsh explained.
The practice has a wide reach and Walshgets referrals from doctors in Graaff-Reinet, Adelaide, Fort Beaufort and other small towns in the area.
“I even had a patient who came all the way from Richards Bay because her friend recommended ‘this wonderful Dr Walsh’. She didn’t even have kids at school here: she actually came all the way here just to sort out her issues.”
Managing risk
Not every case is suited for the small surgery, and there are some that must be done in a hospital.
“Dr Gillian Jacobs is a qualified anaesthetist and together, we take patients for endoscopies who will be at low risk under anaesthetic.
“There are patients who have multiple medical comorbidities who must be done in a hospital environment.”
Walsh personally examines and takes every patient’s medical history before a surgical procedure or an endoscopy.
“I explain what it entails, but I also make an anaesthetic assessment of that person to determine whether they’re suitable to be done outside of a hospital practice.”
Settlers Hospital now permits the practice to do day cases.
“But if patients will need to stay overnight, or need to be in high care during recovery, we make arrangements for the procedure to be done in Gqeberha.”
Admin wiz Liezel Ozinsky makes all the arrangements for a patient’s admission.
“Sometimes you get a referral and it seems straightforward; but when the person physically walks into your rooms, you realise that their physical state doesn’t match the referral letter that you’ve got in front of you.
“Having a pre-procedure consultation is super-important. Not just for that person to understand what’s going to happen to them and to ask me questions, but for me to also assess them,” Walsh emphasises.
For procedures that require only a local anaesthetic, the assessment and procedure can usually be done on the same day. Friday mornings are set aside for this. Removing skin lesions, vasectomies and other local procedures fall into this category.
“In those cases, patients see me and have the procedure at the same time, unless we assess that it’s not suitable and we make an arrangement for another day.”
Supported
The practice has been well supported.
“It gets a bit quiet when it’s too cold and during Festival when people are busy with other social engagements. But by and large, we have been really well supported by the community.”
Walsh remains on call for the private hospitals in Gqeberha, every eigth weekend. She’s also maintained good relationships with her colleagues there.
“They help me with bigger cases and look after some of my patients when I’m not able to be there. So the success of the past five years is thanks to support on a lot of fronts and I’m really blessed to have that.”
One of the positive outcome of the Covid pandemic was learning to use technology effectively.
“Covid taught us that it is possible to keep in touch professionally, even if one isn’t working in the same town.”
Walsh belongs to a professional journal club that meets every Tuesday morning at 6.30am. The specialists take turns to present. Preciously that meant leaving home in Makhanda at 5am to be in Gqeberha.
“Now I can sit at my breakfast table with my coffee and near my computer and be part of the meeting.”
Highlights and difficulties?
WaIsh gets a lot of satisfaction from knowing that as a team, they’ve created a safe, healing space.
“People are quite anxious when they come to a doctor’s surgery, especially if they have some concern. So setting the tone is really subliminally important. It’s relaxed here and it doesn’t feel like a doctor’s surgery,” Walsh said.
“Patients leave here with an understanding what the way forward is for them. I try not to leave them with too many unanswered questions.”
Along with anaesthetist Dr Jacobs, Walsh has high praise for the team – professional nurse Ethel Moolman and receptionists Liezel Olinsky and Gail Loutz.
”Everyone here is super-efficient and very respectful of our patients,” Walsh said.
The ethos of respect starts from the “top”.
“When people come here, they tell me their most intimate fears and secrets, and that stays within these four walls. I think they feel comfortable and confident that I will treat them with the respect they need, that their confidentiality will be protected. All of those things are important in any practice, but in a small town even more so.”
The future of SurgeryScope
“We have other specialists who come and use the practice,” Walsh said. “For example Dr Siki Gwanya-Mdletye consults here once a month.”
The psychiatrist has a busy practice in Gqeberha as well as in Makhanda.
“People often ask if we plan to move – we don’t. But I wonder whether opening a practice in Port Alfred might be useful, or even getting some of the subspecialists to come up this way.
“I believe that the closer you are to your patients, the better it is for them.”
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This article was first published in Talk of the Town, August 21, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.