The Medical Council of New Zealand has responded to frequently asked questions about patients requesting copies of their medical records and clarified the following information.

In October 2024, Te Whatu Ora released an interim statement regarding the lifespan of pharmaceutical fridges for vaccine storage that have reached 10 years of age. The statement confirms that providers with a fridge that is reaching 10 years can continue to use the fridge and do not need to replace it as previously required. However, there is a requirement the monitoring of the vaccine fridge is changed to a remote monitoring system. Read more here.

This webinar explores sustainability in the healthcare sector. Representatives from Aotearoa New Zealand-based healthcare organisations Hato Hone St John, Tū Ora Compass Health, and Wise Group shared about their sustainability journeys, key learnings and advice, and the link between healthy people, healthy communities and a healthy planet.

Two of the Registered Nurse Prescribing Awards are open for applications. More information on all of the grants, including relevant criteria, can be found on the NZSSD website.

Pharmac is now allowing new special authority applications for liraglutide (Victoza) from 1 March 2025. The special authority criteria will be the same as when special authorities were suspended in May 2024. This will again allow prescribing according to national guidelines and best practice. Pharmac has assured the intention is for no further suspensions of special authority criteria for GLP-1 agonists to allow ongoing access for those who meet criteria. To ensure availability, it continues to be important these medications are only prescribed for people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Please contact the Pinnacle diabetes lead in your area if you have any questions.

Te Whatu Ora's priority for primary care is to improve childhood immunisation rates. General practice plays a key role in childhood immunisation, which is recognised through the 24-month immunisation goal as an indicator in the Quality Improvement Programme.

This survey is being circulated by the Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC) on behalf of researchers at the Universities of Auckland and Otago. The survey is designed to understand the changing barriers, challenges, and facilitators to vaccine uptake in pēpi and tamariki according to the frontline vaccinator workforce in Aotearoa New Zealand. They are also wanting to understand what support vaccinators need to work effectively with whānau to support immunisation uptake.

In this Goodfellow Unit podcast, GP's Mamaeroa David and Va’aiga Autagavaia discuss Soālaupule, an approach that creates equity by sharing power and decision-making. Helping GPs to connect better with families to ensure trust develops, leading to better clinical outcomes.

Midlands Sexual Assault Support Service (MSASS) provides support, counselling and advice to anyone 18 years and over, and their whānau, who experience sexual harm in the Hamilton City area. In addition to referrals via phone, email and their website, MSASS can now receive secure, electronic referrals direct from health providers via BPAC. 

MSASS is the referral destination for Hamilton City. For rural Waikato (including both North and South Waikato) Tautoko Mai is the provider. For the Hauraki/Coromandel area, CAPS Hauraki is the provider.

An update from Dr Jo Scott-Jones, clinical director. We all know the lifelong impact of rheumatic fever, and whilst not every case is clearly linked to a sore throat, and not everyone who gets it presents with a sore throat to their GP, we all are acutely aware of the value add we can make by simply recognising and treating people at risk.