The health care sector is experiencing unprecedented times, coupled with staff shortages and high levels of unenrolled patients. We are all in the same waka. City Medical Napier has proposed a quarterly forum of the urgent care centres across Aotearoa New Zealand, where we can sit around the virtual table and share our challenges and…
A new audio interview series featuring health care professionals and researchers involved in trauma care and rehabilitation has been published on the Te Tāhū Hauora Health Quality & Safety Commission website. Called Trauma Exchange, the interviews are of interest to anyone involved in trauma care and rehabilitation. They cover a range of topics: State of…
Kia ora koutou, The theme for Aotearoa Patient Safety Day 2023 is ‘Engaging patients for patient safety’ with the tagline ‘Elevate the voice of patients’. Resources are available to order now; more information about how to place your order is below. Te Tāhū Hauora Health Quality & Safety Commission is using Aotearoa Patient Safety Day…
Dear Colleagues, tēnā koutou katoa, My name is Albert Wu, I am a FRNZCGP and am currently working as the Medical Administration Registrar at Counties Manukau. I would like your opinion on rationalising the primary care inbox to streamline paperwork, as your time is valuable. All clinically active and training General Practitioners, Urgent Care Physicians,…
a news article from Whaikaha about data from the Ministry of Health – Manatū Hauora on COVID-19 on case rates, hospitalisations and mortality rates for people who receive Disability Support Services. There are links to the report
One of our urgent care fellows working in the Bay of Plenty is passionate about recycling and reducing waste. The healthcare industry creates huge amounts of waste and plastic pollution, but there are ways that we can make our working environments more sustainable.
Tamsin has set up a recycling box in Rotorua Emergency Department to collect flexible cleaning wipe packaging and soap pumps, trigger heads. In just two weeks, 100 plastic packets have been collected. These are sent in to Terracycle using a freepost label where they are recycled into their component parts. Can you set up one in your work place and help divert plastic waste from landfill?
See the steps below for setting one up:
1. Get permission for the recycle box from the in charge / supervisor.
2. Repurpose a cardboard box for collections (as shown). I can send you a poster of the collected items similar to the one below if required.
3. Promote and advertise – inform those working in your area by email / intranet communications about the collections. Discuss with cleaners and HCAs. Put a poster up in a common area. Leave messages on white boards about the collections.
4. Empty collections when full.
5. Download a postage label from Terracycle (or email Tamsin when you need one and she can send it to you).
6. Attach label to packaged items and drop off at post office (freepost label!)
COVID-19 Care in the Community has updated the clinical guidance for COVID-19 antivirals and Primary Care COVID-19 Quick Reference Guide, and we will be grateful if you can use these to inform your care from now on. These documents will be available on the COVID-19 Advice for all health professionals webpage
National Immunisation Programme – Stakeholder hui recording and slides available Thank you to those who attended NIP’s stakeholder hui yesterday. Amongst other updates, attendees from yesterday’s hui were fortunate to hear from the team at Kōkiri Marae Health and Social Services about their success with their vaccination events. If you missed the hui yesterday and would…
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.