The 0800 IMMUNE phone line will be operating at reduced hours/capacity during the holiday period. For any urgent matters, please contact your local immunisation coordinator. If you have any concerns regarding cold chain, please quarantine vaccines and contact your local immunisation coordinator. See the 0800 IMMUNE phone line holiday hours here. 

From time-to-time patients requiring regular infusions through a long standing IV or PICC line are being managed through general practice teams, particularly in rural areas. Healthcare logistics are warning of a small increase in reported leakage from some brands of PICC line. It is timely to remember the potential complications of what can appear to be stable and well-established medical devices.

This course incorporates the latest research with specific information for the Aotearoa New Zealand context. The Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ are running a ‘Summer Special’ promotion until the end of February 2025 at the reduced cost of $79. 

Te Whatu Ora's Sexual Health Clinic will be closed between 20 December and 6 January 2025.

Pathlab has reported BNP levels using the Triage Method and using EDTA plasma as the preferred sample type. The current reference interval is 0-100 ng/L. From 23 December 2024, the current BNP method will be replaced by NT-proBNP. This method is more specific than BNP, as NT-proBNP has a longer half-life and is less influenced by factors like obesity or kidney function.

The following testing criteria should apply during periods of high pertussis activity. For any local outbreaks, a testing strategy should be determined in conjunction with the local public health service.

AIR service desk will maintain limited support during their normal hours through the summer break, except for public holidays. They will be closed on 25 and 26 December and 1 and 2 January 2025.

Te Whatu Ora has received notice of further strike action by members of the NZNO union. This means nurses, healthcare assistants and some midwives who are union members and employed by Te Whatu Ora at Rotorua and Taupō Hospitals will be undertaking a further full withdrawal of labour on Friday 13 December from 1.00pm to 5.00pm. They will also be undertaking a full withdrawal of labour on Tuesday 17 December from 1pm to 5pm involving all hospitals across Aotearoa New Zealand.

In November, Te Whatu Ora announced funding for the primary and community sector to support the placement of 200 new graduate registered nurses (RN) into employment.

Pathlab has reviewed Hepatitis B serology requesting. Due to the range of serological assays that can be requested for this infection, this can be a potentially confusing area for both requestors and the laboratory receiving the requests. With this in mind, Pathlab has put together some brief guidance.