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.

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.