Updates regarding Primary Options COVID-19 claims.

Pinnacle has recently signed a master agreement with Wintec for the placement of student nurses into general practice. Soon Wintec will be approaching practices with requests for these student nurse placements.

The subscription period for the supply of MIMS Integrated to practices is due for renewal. The renewal subscription process will be the same as previous years.

Wintec Health Services in Hamilton is now home to two nurse prescribers, as nurse Jo Brown has recently become a designated registered nurse prescriber in community health (designated RNPCH).

The School Based Health Services team has created wallet-sized cards for school leavers to take to their general practice in order to support the transition of their health records from their school health clinic.

Developments in technology have made point of care ultrasound available for use by general practitioners as a diagnostic tool. There are two remaining spots still available on the Hamilton point of care ultrasound (POCUS) programme workshop on 14 and 15 August.

Under chief executive Christine Hall’s leadership, Ventures is now focused on two key areas: not for profit ownership of a network of practices via Primary Health Care Ltd, and maximising the potential of technology to enable better health outcomes.

The cybersecurity attack on the Waikato DHB and the weather bombs hitting our shores earlier this week are perfect reminders that unplanned events could happen to any of us.

Following practice feedback, Pinnacle has reviewed the claim form for this service in indici. We have automated some of the data collection, and substantially reduced the number of required fields to be completed in order to claim for the service.

Jo Scott-Jones, medical director, discusses the health and disability sector review changes, the anticipated impact on general practice, and what practices can do in preparation to get ahead of the curve.