I will keep this month’s newsletter short and brief, though it does contain important information and requests for help.
College’s position on the announcement of funding to support urgent care and after hours
We welcome the recognition of the importance of urgent care clinics and the acknowledgement of the role they play in the healthcare system. The framework is aligned with our vision that everyone in New Zealand has access to urgent care services.
We hope the funding is able to support the provision of urgent care so that access costs are reasonable for our communities, whilst still making it sustainable for clinics. The College has been advocating for greater access to urgent care and support for training with Health NZ / Te Whatu Ora. The framework as we understand it includes major urgent care clinics open 24 hours, smaller urgent care clinics open during and outside working hours and weekends, after hours care provided by GP clinics, local services provided by a range of providers.
The lack of workforce is currently a major issue within urgent care and general practice, we hope that the new initiative will drive workforce development. There is lots of work to do, including the development of new standards for the large urban and smaller cities including how clinics contribute to training. RNZCUC continues to push for a national approach, equitable and culturally safe high quality clinical care at urgent care clinics, along with improved funding.
We also support appropriate funding for GP clinics so that everyone has access to a GP, recognising that urgent care is a small part of the whole primary care response.
Internal operations – Operations Manager
I am pleased to report that we have successfully recruited an operations manager who will start in role on 30 June 2025. There are a raft of projects and initiatives that I put on hold that can now be attended to. Many of these tasks relate to our provision of information, especially TalentLMS and the website, and I hope to have this all significantly revamped by the end of the caledar year.
Bootcamp 2025 and SGM
As mentioned in previous reports, there will be an SGM around the time we hold Bootcamp 2025 (which is virtual). The SGM will review new Society Rules and the future College strategy.
Bootcamp 2026
Bootcamp 2026 will be a splendid affair, celebrating 25 years of recognition of the vocational scope. We want to make this something special and are seeking volunteers to help with a few of the project ideas and work streams. We won’t be asking a lot from you but your help would make organisation of the event so much easier. Please contact me or Guy (dpd@rnzcuc.org.nz) for more information or to offer your help.
Well-being officers – please volunteer
I am still seeking Fellows to be well-being officers. The role is very, very small; the number of times we are called upon for someone needing additional support is only once or twice a year. But at those times, it is useful for us to have someone independent who is able to mentor, help, and support whoever needs it. If you have any interest at all in supporting us by being a well-being officer, please get in touch with me.
College history – seeking someone to help develop the history of the College
I am hoping that we can develop a record with the history of the College from its early days as AMPA through to now. I’m seeking someone who has an interest in developing this. Please contact me to discuss. I aim to have funding for this important and fun project, which will contribute significantly the College’s prestige.
MCNZ call for applications or nominations to join the MCNZ Education Committee
I received a notification from MCNZ, requesting applications or nominations to join the MCNZ Education Committee. Please do let me know if you are interested in being nominated by the College for the MCNZ Education Committee ( the deadline has passed and we have not been able to nominate anyone). The email text is copied below my signature block.
Adrian
| Adrian Metcalfe Chief Executive Officer Level 2, 110 Lunn Avenue, Remuera, Auckland 1072, New Zealand P. 64 9 527 7966 www.rnzcuc.org.nz |
Request for member of a medical college to participate in the work of the Te Kaunihera Rata o Aotearoa | Medical Council of New Zealand – applications or nominations
Te Kaunihera Rata o Aotearoa | Medical Council of New Zealand (Council) is seeking nominations from medical colleges, to appoint a vocationally-registered member of a medical college, to its Education Committee (the Committee).
We are also seeking expressions of interest from vocationally-registered doctors with experience in medical education and training in joining the pool of potential accreditation panel members. While we are seeking expressions of interest broadly, we are particularly seeking Māori members.
We would be grateful if you would support this nomination process and circulate this to relevant college members.
Education Committee
The Committee is a standing committee of Council that advises and makes recommendations to Council about medical education and training in Aotearoa New Zealand. It also makes decisions on the accreditation status of training providers. You can view the Committee’s terms of reference on our website.
The ideal candidate will:
- have a strong interest in how medical education and training in Aotearoa New Zealand is provided to medical students and medical trainees, with experience of contributing to the delivery of a medical college’s vocational training programme/programmes
- be able to participate constructively in discussion with other Committee members regarding education matters including the Council’s role in accrediting medical schools, districts of Te Whatu Ora for prevocational medical training, and medical colleges as vocational training and recertification providers
- understand Council’s wider role and function as a regulatory body
- be actively practising and participating in a Council-accredited vocational recertification programme.
The successful applicant will join the Committee in August 2025 for a period of three years. The appointed member must be able to commit to attending quarterly meetings (two via Zoom and two at Council’s offices in Wellington).
The remaining meeting dates for 2025 are 5 June, 14 August, and 20 November. The member should be available to attend their first meeting on 14 August 2025.
As a member of Council’s Education Committee, the appointed member is likely to be invited to join several accreditation panels over their term of office.
Accreditation panel member
Council accredits prevocational training providers (Health New Zealand/Te Whatu Ora districts) and Aotearoa New Zealand vocational training and recertification providers. Our standards for prevocational and vocational training providers identify the core criteria that must exist in all accredited training programmes. In partnership with the Australian Medical Council, we accredit Aotearoa New Zealand medical schools and Australasian medical colleges.
Accreditation panels are responsible for:
- assessing the training programme and the training provider against the accreditation standards
- assessing the information provided by the training provider in the self-assessment and through the accreditation site visit
- preparing a draft report that assesses the programme against the accreditation standards and identifies strengths and areas for improvement.
Please visit our website for more information about the Council’s work in medical education and training.
Nominations – Education Committee position
To be considered for this vacancy, we will need the candidate’s CV and a cover letter.
We ask that each college nominates only one individual to the Education Committee position and provides a letter of support.
Please send nominations for the attention of Chris Jenkinson, Manager – Education, including the candidate’s covering letter and CV, and the college’s letter of support, at education@mcnz.org.nz by 11 June 2025.
Interviews for the vacancy are likely to take place between 23 June and 14 July 2025 via Zoom.
Expressions of interest – accreditation panel member pool
We invite individuals interested in joining the accreditation panel member pool to contact the Council directly at education@mcnz.org.nz, with a copy of their CV and a covering letter identifying their experience in medical education and training.
Further information or questions
Council staff are available for informal discussions with interested applicants.
If you have any questions about these opportunities, or wish to discuss it in more detail, please feel free to contact the Council’s Education team at education@mcnz.org.nz.
Ngā mihi
Chris Jenkinson
Kaiwhakahaere – Mātauranga
Manager – Education
Te Kaunihera Rata o Aotearoa | Medical Council of New Zealand