Drive-throughs aren’t just for fast food — they’re now making healthcare quicker and more accessible too.

Te Whatu Ora's decision to halt the age extension of bowel screening for Māori and Pasifika peoples in Waikato from 4 December has left many without access to potentially life-saving tests.

It has been a tough year for health, and primary care in particular, but we are pleased to have identified opportunities to improve the way we fund our practices.

It was October 1984 when Judy Cowie first started work at Fairfield Medical Centre in Hamilton. She and then fiancé Grant Cowie were not long back in in the country after three years’ living and working in Australia and the United Kingdom.

The National Public Health Service and the Public Health Agency have declared a national pertussis epidemic. Te Whatu Ora is asking healthcare professionals to please remain vigilant for people presenting with symptoms and to continue to promote vaccinations to protect vulnerable groups. Pinnacle has compiled information and resources for practice teams.

As a primary health organisation, we see firsthand the challenges faced by our communities, particularly those most vulnerable. Te Tiriti o Waitangi has long served as a foundation for addressing inequities in Aotearoa New Zealand, particularly in healthcare.

Pinnacle development managers have created a toolkit to provide essential tools and resources to support practice managers, business managers, and other staff involved in the management of general practice. It aims to streamline administrative tasks, improve operational efficiency, and enhance the quality of care and services delivered at practice level.

Fortnightly clinics at two Raglan marae have enabled Raglan Medical to engage with some of the most vulnerable members of its Waikato west coast community.

Pinnacle clinical director Jo Scott-Jones has been appointed an Honorary Associate Professor in the Division of Health at the University of Waikato for the leadership he has shown in rural health.

The Pinnacle Incorporated Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on Tuesday, 26 November 2024 at 6.00pm at the Pinnacle offices, Norris Ward McKinnon House, 711 Victoria Street, Hamilton, in the River Room (ground floor).