Pinnacle is here to support our network. Recent changes have been made to the appointment process for contract providers at PSAAP. These updates impact how your practice selects an agent to represent your interests during negotiations. We encourage you to carefully review the information about these changes. A list of organisations and agents that are offering to represent you, including Pinnacle, and the link to the contracted providers nomination form, are also provided.

There's a lot going on in the data and digital space and many issues nurses are facing can be solved with digital solutions. Health Informatics New Zealand (HiNZ) would love to see more nurses present at Digital Health Week this year (2-5 December). Scholarships to attend close midnight, Friday 19 July.

ACC is offering four Masters’ scholarships worth up to $15,000. The scholarships are to fund Masters’ research that’s being done in 2024 or 2025. The purpose is to invest in research that digs into complex challenges and emerging trends in injury prevention and compensation and grow the health research workforce. Applications close on 15 August 2024.

Manatū Hauora, the Ministry of Health, will be inviting the public to share their views on the End of Life Choice Act as part of a review of the Act. The Ministry of Health administers the Act. Under the legislation, the Ministry is required to review the operation of Act within three years of it coming into force, and every five years after. The review is currently underway and will conclude in November 2024. An online portal will provide an opportunity for the public to share their views about the Act.

This six-question quickfire survey, for all healthcare professionals working in primary care, aims to understand the current use of AI in general practice. Even if you don't use AI currently, please complete the survey to inform the initial benchmark. A webpage has also been established to give easy access to AI webinars and resources.

With the winter season underway and the associated increase in respiratory virus circulation, Pathlab has provided updated guidance on diagnostic testing.

The Enrolments and Eligibility Contact Centre has proposed a revised process for verifying identity information, such as name or gender changes, or where two individuals’ identities may have accidentally been overlayed. The revised process will allow the contact centre to send an email to the practice manager requesting the clarifying information. Te Whatu Ora request practices update them with the email address they wish to be contacted on.

Rural practices who applied for the Rural ACC contract should have received a signed agreement from ACC confirming  your contract number and effective start date (1 July 2024). If your practice provides out of hours services, remember to reply to ACC to activate the ‘After Hours Codes’ which are paid at a higher rate in Table 3. You have to ‘opt in’ to have this table activated. 

On 24 June, Associate Minister of Health, Hon Casey Costello introduced a Bill to repeal the Therapeutic Products Act. The repeal Bill had its first reading in Parliament on 27 June. This was the first opportunity for MPs to debate and vote on the Bill. The Bill has now been referred to the Health Committee and the Committee has called for submissions from the public. Submissions close submissions is 29 July.

Practice managers are encouraged to participate in the General Practice Workforce and Cost Survey, currently being conducted by Sapere on behalf of Te Whatu Ora. Your input will help develop a capitation formula that better aligns with actual needs. The survey will close midnight, 10 July.