A Taupō general practice is helping lead the way in culturally confident care, becoming the first practice outside Pinnacle Midlands Health Network’s original pilot sites to fully adopt the PHO’s Tikanga in Practice resources and training.

In this week's blog post, Justin Butcher writes about what it actually takes to make progress in rural primary care, and why relationships are at the centre of it.

Justin 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.

General practice in Aotearoa New Zealand is under sustained pressure, particularly in growing and rural communities. Workforce shortages, rising demand, and an ageing clinical workforce mean many practices are having to rethink how care is delivered.

Pinnacle MHN, as a member of the Midlands Collaborative, is proud to continue supporting the delivery of the Registered Nurse Prescriber in Community Health (RNPCH) programme across Te Manawa Taki.

A new Journal of Primary Health Care article from the RNZCGP’s Your Work Counts project has quantified what general practice teams have long known: a large share of GP work happens outside the consultation room.

Pinnacle has noted the approval of a new primary health organisation, thePHO, and says practices should have genuine choice about who represents them. At the same time, Pinnacle believes this decision raises concerns about the timing and wider impact on population health.

Like many rural areas, Ōtorohanga faces GP shortages and growing demand for care. Rather than accept the status quo, the practice took a “grow your own” approach, creating a pipeline for nurses that runs from student placements to prescribing roles.

The Pinnacle Incorporated Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on Tuesday, 25 November 2025 at 5.30pm at the Pinnacle Offices, NWM building, 711 Victoria Street, Ground Floor, River Room.

In a rural Waikato town, four physician associates (PAs) are helping reshape what’s possible in general practice, and what it means to serve a community.