From 30 September 2026, the starting age for free bowel screening will drop to 56, bringing more than 200,000 additional people into the National Bowel Screening Programme. This significant expansion is projected to prevent hundreds of cancers and save hundreds of lives over the coming decades. Read on for what this means for general practice and how to support eligible patients.

The persistent pain service has transitioned to an allied health–led model, consistent with other districts across Te Manawa Taki. The service now focuses on functional restoration, self-management, and a biopsychosocial approach to persistent non-cancer pain. Read the update from Chief Medical Officer Lisa Williams for details on the changes and updated referral pathways.

A new Advanced Audiology Practitioner clinic at Taranaki Base Hospital is improving early assessment for tamariki with suspected glue ear, with advanced audiologists working alongside ENT services. Early results show around half of children assessed are either fast-tracked to surgery or discharged from specialist care, getting tamariki to the right place sooner. Read the update from Chief Medical Officer Lisa Williams for referral details and what this means for primary care.

There are some changes to be aware of within Taranaki's immunisation coordinator service, including an interim period of cover from 9 June to 6 July. Regional colleagues are available to support providers during this time. Read on for contact arrangements and how to get the support you need.

Te Whatu Ora has issued a public health advisory regarding an Ebola outbreak (Bundibugyo virus) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, noting that the current risk to New Zealand remains low. Please remain vigilant: in the unlikely event that you suspect a case, urgently notify your local Public Health Service by phone and contact your clinical microbiology service to discuss testing.

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.