The Ministry of Health's latest update confirms New Zealand remains in Phase 1 of the Government's Fuel Response Plan with no fuel restrictions in place, though providers are reporting rising costs and more missed appointments. General practices are encouraged to promote digital appointment options to patients and revisit their Business Continuity Plans now.

Temporary workforce constraints are affecting Te Whatu Ora Taranaki gastroenterology services, with reduced outpatient capacity and possible delays to assessment and treatment. Referrals should continue as usual and will be clinically triaged in line with prioritisation criteria, within capacity constraints.

As part of Pinnacle's commitment to supporting education opportunities for practice managers, we have some funding available to support a limited number of practice managers to attend the annual PMAANZ conference.

After several months of work, our new combined website will go live on Friday 22 May, initially at pinnacle.co.nz. This is an important first step toward Pinnacle’s new integrated digital experience.

With the volume of changes and update communications being released by Valentia, the indici team at Pinnacle has compiled a summary of the top six recent releases, improvements, and new functions to provide a quick and practical way for general practice teams to stay informed, without needing to review each individual update in full.

Health New Zealand has shared slides and a recording from the Urgent and After Hours Health Care Framework webinar held on Tuesday 5 May. This resource is designed to keep primary care partners informed on the background of the programme, recent community feedback, and the upcoming implementation phases.

Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand has issued a public health advisory regarding an ongoing global hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius. As of 13 May 2026, the risk to New Zealand remains low, with no known exposed individuals currently in New Zealand or travelling here. Clinicians should be aware of hantavirus symptoms in patients with relevant travel history and contact their local Medical Officer of Health urgently if a case is suspected.

From Term 3 2026, the School-Based Immunisation Programme (SBIP) will focus on delivering HPV dose 1 in schools, and HPV dose 2 will no longer be offered through schools. Whānau wishing to complete the two-dose course can access HPV dose 2 free of charge through general practice, pharmacies, and other community providers from August 2026. General practices are also encouraged to offer catch-up HPV vaccination to all young people aged 14 to 26 who have not yet received any doses.

Version 2 of the Immunisation Handbook 2026 is now available on the Health New Zealand website (currently as PDF only, with a web version expected by end of May). Key changes include a standardised 15-minute post-vaccination observation period for all vaccines, updated influenza vaccine information for the 2026 season, and revised guidance for children aged under 4 years receiving influenza vaccine for the first time. Vaccinators are encouraged to use the most current version.

Quarter 3 performance-based capitation payments for six-week immunisations will be processed on 27 May 2026. Eligible practices should expect payment from next week. Please contact your development manager if you have any queries.