This week (15 April), midwives in Hamilton celebrated an important milestone in a project aimed at making immunisation easier to access for hapū māmā, pēpi and whānau.
Read moreJustin Butcher explores the importance of robust funding models, accountability measures, and practical system design for primary care which are vital to ensuring general practice is supported both now and in the future.
Read moreRising fuel prices are already creating extra pressure for rural general practice, affecting everything from travel and PRIME callouts to supply costs and patient access. Our clinical director, Dr Jo Scott-Jones recently spoke to RNZ about what rural GPs are seeing on the ground, including concerns about transport, stock and the added cost of getting care.
Read moreOn behalf of Hauraki PHO, NHC and Pinnacle, we are seeking kaimahi, working in primary and community care who are interested in further education skills development or study support.
Read moreThe Diabetes National Clinical Network has issued updated HbA1c diagnostic thresholds to align New Zealand reporting with global standards and to support improved patient outcomes. The following changes were implemented by Pathlab on Wednesday 22 April, ahead of the Ministry of Health deadline of 1 July 2026.
Read morePathlab is now able to offer FIB-4 Index as a requestable test. The FIB-4 Index is used to assess the risk of liver fibrosis in patients with Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease (but is not appropriate for other causes of liver disease). If using Pathlab Éclair orders, please go to the additional tab and search “FIB-4.”
Read moreIn consultation with endocrinologists and paediatricians, Pathlab has recently updated reference intervals for FT3. This aligns Pathlab with Waikato Hospital Laboratory and LabPlus and includes more appropriate intervals for young paediatric patients.
Read moreHealth Accelerator has partnered with PenTest NZ to offer general practices a 25 per cent discount on an independent cyber security assessment — around $1,000 off for most practices. With increased scrutiny following recent primary care cyber incidents, this is a practical way to identify risks and demonstrate responsible cyber risk management. The discount is available until 31 July 2026.
Read moreTaranaki now has a dedicated sexual health contact tracer. Rose Heron is based at the Sexual Health Clinic on Powderham Street and is available to support free follow-up for patients who have tested positive for STIs and consented to contact. Referrals are welcome via email.
Read moreTe Whatu Ora is surveying health professionals across aged residential care, general practice, ambulance, community, and hospital settings about their confidence in providing palliative and end-of-life care. Your experiences will help identify workforce strengths, gaps, and priorities for future education and support. The survey is open until Friday 1 May 2026.
Read moreThe Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners supports research and education that benefits general practice, rural general practice and rural hospital medicine through three funding rounds each year. Applications for the second funding round of 2026 open 22 April.
Read moreThe age for free breast screening is being extended - starting with women who turned 70 and 74 from 1 October 2025. The age range will continue to be extended each year in October, to include all eligible women up to the age of 74 by the end of 2029.
Read moreNew Zealand Society for the Study of Diabetes (NZSSD) is hosting a series of webinars for the benefit of primary care.
Read moreThis study day is for all nurses and allied health kaimahi who work with whānau living with Type 2 diabetes – whether you are looking to upskill or refresh your knowledge.
View eventThis session is aimed at going over a handful of the Primary Options programmes, letting you know about any updates and answering questions you have about the service.
View eventMore primary care professionals are exploring practice ownership but lack clear information on risk, value, and governance. This session is designed to support informed buy-in decisions.
View eventPractice Plus is a virtual telehealth services established by Tū Ora Compass and Pinnacle specifically designed to complement rather than to compete with your own practice.
This month Dr Jo Scott-Jones and Dr Dave Maplesden discuss UTI in children, gynaecomastia, Fournier gangrene, and more.
Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by Bordetella pertussis. Despite vaccination efforts, pertussis continues to cause periodic outbreaks in New Zealand due to waning immunity over time.