The nationwide shortage of dental and oral health therapists continues to affect the Taranaki region. Te Whatu Ora ask for your support to help promote oral health vigilance to whānau as they continue to mitigate these issues and deliver the best healthcare possible in Taranaki. If whānau have dental queries or concerns about their tamariki, they're encouraged to contact their nearest clinic or phone 0800 TALK TEETH (0800 825 583).

The application deadline for the Emerging Rural Researcher and Educator Awards has been extended to Friday 15 March.

Do you know someone in the respiratory field or community who deserves recognition for their achievements in the community? Nominations are open for the 2024 Respiratory Achievers’ Awards, recognising people with respiratory conditions, and those working in the field of respiratory health, who have made personal achievements and/or positive impacts in their community.

Family Planning recently rebranded as Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa. Read a letter from Jackie Edmond, Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa Chief Executive, about this change and for background information on the name change.

Waikato Medical Research Foundation invites research programmes from across the disciplines of health and medicine. They particularly encourage early career researchers to apply for grants up to $30,000. Visit the Waikato Medical Research Foundation website to apply, applications close 30 April 2024.

Te Whatu Ora is asking for people who are currently in Aotearoa New Zealand but who travelled in February on international flights to Melbourne, Australia from Dubai and Singapore, to come forward and contact Healthline immediately on 0800 611 116.

121 places on the Nurse Practitioner Training Programme (NPTP) will be fully funded in 2024 by Te Whatu Ora – a 51.3 per cent increase compared to last year. This is due to a higher number of eligible nurses applying to take part. 

Reputable researchers from Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington are conducting research to explore the assisted dying service and seeking patient voice in the understanding around assisted dying services in Aotearoa.

As previously advised, the Health Payments Integrity Team at Te Whatu Ora is undertaking a data match to check the eligibility of individuals enrolled on PHO registers by comparing them with information held by Immigration New Zealand. The data match will now be undertaken in March 2024 using the March 2024 PHO register. It is anticipated letters will be sent to patients who may not be eligible for subsidised health care during mid-April 2024.

The 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.