In today’s Pānui |
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Cabinet announcements for Primary Care funding and support
| The announcement yesterday recognises that the Government needs to invest in general practice and strengthen the Primary Care workforce and this funding boost is a crucial step towards step towards ensuring that New Zealanders can access timely, high-quality healthcare in their communities.
The new funding announced will support up to 100 overseas trained doctors into programmes similar to the Waikato pilot and an EOI will be issued for both students and providers. The Medical Council will also provide more exams.
The nurse grad funding will be an extension of the programme that started earlier this year and also cover the next cohort of graduates later this year.
The capitation funding is $95m a year of performance related funding for three years from 1 July – a proportion for core service performance (e.g. things like portal use), a proportion for achievement of targets such as immunisation with the expectation that it would be amalgamated with current SLMs; and a proportion for additional services such as minor surgery. This funding is being allocated out of the existing overall Health NZ appropriation.
The telehealth funding amount has yet to be publicly released but includes a portion to cover development of a shared electronic health record. There will be an approval process for telehealth providers, ensuring they meet minimum standards, and the range of providers will be publicly available on a web page. Subsidies will be provided to reduce costs for U14s, and CSC holders and government funding will be less than for core general practice.
There will be detailed discussions over the coming weeks on implementation, which will be at pace.
We understand that further announcements will be made, and Auckland PHO will keep practices teams updated as these are revealed.
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National Cervical Screening Programme Information Update - 3 March 2025
| National Cervical Screening Programme Information Update 3 March 2025 Correction process for those with previous cancer Cervical screen takers may have received an incorrect follow-up recommendation for patients with a history of invasive vaginal or cervical cancer, screened between September 2023 to June 2024.
For technical reasons, NCSP were unable to send an amended lab result, due to the change in Policy in June 2024 (not an error by the lab). Please refer to the full Information Update, here.
Due to the above, please check specialist letters or seek Specialist advice regarding further HPV and/or cytology tests and update your recall records accordingly and share this information with your patient.
Please refer Auckland Region HealthPathways Cervical Screening and scroll down to After Treatment for Cervical Cancer section.
Seek gynaecology advice if guidance is needed.
Please contact Siobhan Matich siobhan@aucklandpho.co.nz if you have any further questions. Siobhan will also be working with practices, to try and identify these affected individuals within your clinic.
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2025 Influenza Immunisation Programme Medinz Message published today: | 2025 Influenza Immunisation ProgrammePublished by Te Whatu Ora – Te Toka Tumai Auckland, Counties Manukau and Waitematā on Mar 4, 2025 9:00:15 AM. Here are the key points for the 2025 Influenza Immunisation Programme:
Please refer to the attached document, links and resources. 2025 Influenza Immunisation Programme key dates and details.pdf [178 KB]
Please send feedback to Muriel.Hohapata@middlemore.co.nz.
Last year, a number of practices over-ordered influenza vaccines – please note that each box contains 10 vaccines NOT one. |
Message from Pharmac regarding Methylphenidate Supply Issue | Message from Pharmac on Friday 28 February regarding methylphenidate supply issues: Rising global and local demand for methylphenidate coupled with overseas manufacturing issues have led to ongoing problems with supply of this medicine in New Zealand. Australia and the United Kingdom are also experiencing supply issues with methylphenidate. These issues are likely to continue this year, and there may be periods in 2025 where people cannot get the brand or formulation of methylphenidate they normally use. There may also be times where people have to wait for more stock to arrive at their local pharmacy. Prioritising methylphenidate for people who need it most Clinicians have told Pharmac that children and adolescents are most at need of methylphenidate because they tolerate it better than some of the other medicines available for ADHD. So, Pharmac are asking you to prioritise them while they work with suppliers to find more methylphenidate to bring into New Zealand. Where a particular brand is not available, clinicians may wish to prescribe other brands, in line with Medsafe guidance. To help, they’re removing barriers to make it easier for clinicians to choose the best available treatment for their patients. A different option is to consider starting people on alternatives to methylphenidate where safe and appropriate. Requirements for prescribing and Special Authority applications On Saturday 1 March 2025, the Special Authority forms for people who are newly prescribed methylphenidate will be updated due to the ongoing supply issues with methylphenidate. This will allow people to start on Concerta or Ritalin LA if they can't access other brands. Previously, people were only eligible for these brands if they had tried other forms of methylphenidate first and had met other criteria. Any registered medical or nurse practitioner may prescribe methylphenidate, when acting on the written recommendation of:
This means that medical and nurse practitioners can switch people to different brands or formulations of methylphenidate without requiring another specialist recommendation, provided all other relevant eligibility criteria are met. This relates to the legal situation only. Medical and nurse practitioners may still need specialist advice to change presentations of methylphenidate. Pharmac are working to update current Special Authority approvals to remove barriers and support clinicians to choose the best available treatment for people. Pharmac will update you further soon. More information Pharmac is organising webinars for medical and nurse practitioners about moving people from one brand or presentation of methylphenidate to another. Pharmac have a supply issue webpage which they will update as more information becomes available: Methylphenidate: Supply issue. Pharmac want to make sure that everyone who needs to know about this supply issue is informed. Please share this information with your colleagues. If you have questions about this, please email enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz.
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Public Health Advisory – HIV in Fiji Awareness
| Please find attached a public health advisory from Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora alerting healthcare professionals to the rapidly rising number of people diagnosed with HIV in Fiji. An HIV outbreak was recently declared by the Fijian government. Fiji is a key transit point for travel and mobility in the Pacific.
For Awareness: The number of people diagnosed with HIV is rapidly rising in Fiji. Offer opportunistic testing and HIV prevention advice.
If you have any questions, please contact Dr Rose Forster, Clinical Lead, Sexual Health, Starting Well, Planning Funding and outcomes at Health NZ.
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March 2025 Auckland PHO Quick Guide | Please click here for the latest Auckland PHO Quick Guide. Copies will be provided to practices this week. If you choose not to have hard copies, please let Komal@aucklandpho.co.nz know.
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New Zealand Medical Journal (NZMJ) | In case you missed it - please click here to view the latest edition of the New Zealand Medical Journal published 28 February 2025.To view previous editions, login here using these details:Email: barbara@aucklandpho.co.nzPassword: Yellow2020 |
Barbara Stevens | Tumu Whakarae/CEO
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