The COVID-19 Safety Pledge (covidpledge.co.nz) initiative was launched to help and encourage businesses and organisations to protect their staff from COVID-19 as well as other airborne illness. We encourage readers to visit the site and consider signing up to the pledge.
In the coming days, Parliament will undertake the final reading of an amendment to our legislation. This expands accident cover to include certain maternal birth injuries experienced during labour and childbirth from 12.00am on 1 October 2022.
This is a significant change for ACC, but more importantly represents a positive step for the health of birthing parents and improving equity of access to the Accident Compensation scheme. This change means those with a covered maternal birth injury will be eligible for ACC-funded support, treatment, and care to help them in their recovery.
In preparation for this, our focus has been to make sure health practitioners across the motu can begin lodging claims from 1 October and our systems and people are ready to process them.
The Pharmacy Council is seeking feedback on the draft Competence Standards for the Pharmacy Profession and supporting Guidance Notes. Practitioners in all three scopes of practice must meet these competence standards. Council is responsible for setting standards of clinical competence, cultural competence, and ethical conduct for pharmacists. It is timely that the standards are…
Workforce survey Manatū Hauora has developed a survey for health practitioners including medical practitioners, nurses, midwives, as well as social workers or counsellors who may provide counselling. The survey will cover questions like what you know about abortion if you currently provide abortion care (and if you want to provide more than you currently do),…
We have three National Immunisation Programme updates to draw your attention to today: two new COVID-19 vaccination changes being implemented from tomorrow (22 September 2022), and a reminder about the change to vaccination mandates for healthcare workers.
Today (Thursday 8 September) Medsafe published a safety alert in relation to the COVID-19 Novavax (Nuvaxovid) vaccine: Myocarditis and pericarditis have been reported with Nuvaxovid (Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine) There have been a small number of cases of myocarditis and pericarditis reported internationally following vaccination with Nuvaxovid. The medicine sponsor now considers that myocarditis and pericarditis…
COVID-19 Aotearoa Immunisation Register to launch a new vaccinator portal We are excited to share with you that the Aotearoa Immunisation Register (AIR) is preparing to launch its new vaccinator portal. AIR’s vaccinator portal will support Vaccinators from all parts of the immunisation sector to record vaccinations and view vaccination history currently existing in the…
Te Whatu Ora is hosting a webinar on 31th August at 7:30pm This webinar will focus on nationally relevant guidance forprimary care clinicians managing Monkeypox and COVID-19 inthe community.Topics include: • Monkeypox—case definition, testing, vaccination, treatmentand new Monkeypox pathway• Overall COVID-19 response– persistent infection, rebound,isolation requirements, international travellers, vaccination• Care in the Community— COVID-19 transition to…
COVID-19 Updated clinical advice re boosters and pregnant people It is recommended that pregnant people receive a booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine to help protect them and their baby against the effects of COVID-19. The booster vaccine can be given at any stage of pregnancy. If you are 18 or over, you can get…
Under the End of Life Choice Act 2019, the Registrar (assisted dying) reports annually to the Minister of Health. The first report was published last week, covering the period from 7 November to 31 March 2022. The report is available here: Registrar (assisted dying) Annual Report | Ministry of Health NZ