Dr Hardstaff trained in Newcastle upon Tyne Medical School in the UK obtaining her Medical degree in 1994.
She stayed in the North East of England for her internship and basic surgical training apart from a year spent in Queensland Australia working as a Registrar in Intensive Care, Urology and General Surgery.
Dr Hardstaff undertook a two year research fellowship with the transplant unit at the Freeman Road Hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne for which she was awarded an MD by the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.
She undertook higher surgical Training in the South East of Scotland where she was exposed to General, Colorectal, Upper GI, Vascular, Hepatobiliary and Transplant Surgery.
After obtaining FRCS in General Surgery and Transplantation she undertook fellowships in Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.
Dr Hardstaff then trained in Hepatobiliary Surgery and Multiorgan Transplantation at Freeman Road Hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne.
Dr Hardstaff moved to Darwin NT Australia in 2011 to take up a Consultant post in General Surgery during which she was exposed to all aspects of General Surgery. Whilst there she set up an organ retrieval service for transplantation.
She was awarded FRACS in 2014.
Dr Hardstaff took up a staff specialist post at John Hunter Hospital in October 2017 in Renal Transplantation and General Surgery. She is also involved in the organ retrieval service for New South Wales.
Dr Hardstaff is happy to be consulted on Gastrointestinal surgical disorders, Vascular access, Peritoneal dialysis, Gallbladder disease, hernia surgery and upper and lower GI endoscopy.