Who we are, what we stand for, and how we work with general practices across our region. People, purpose, and a genuine commitment to health and wellbeing for all.
Pinnacle partners with Practice Plus to provide same day virtual after-hours GP appointments for enrolled patients, as an extension of our regular medical centre team.
In this section we share clinical and practice operations updates from Pinnacle and the wider health sector. Use the search box and filters to help find what you’re looking for.
Pathlab utilise bpac guidelines to reflex FT4 and/or FT3 based on TSH results. This process is fully automatic, and the reflex tests are reported with the TSH result. Pathlab is seeing many requests for FT4 where the TSH is within reference limits. Some of these requests may be valid and they do not want to restrict useful tests. However, FT4 is often requested with TSH for no good reason. Pathlab will shortly be removing FT4 from the front page of the electronic order form. It will remain searchable and requestable to requestors. Their intention is to encourage best practice as detailed in the bpac guidelines
Te Whatu Ora is seeking expressions of interest from health professionals across primary, community, mental health, public health and other healthcare providers from each of the four regions (Northern, Central, Te Manawa Taki and Te Waipounamu). Regional expressions of interest are open and will close on Friday 23 May 2025. For full details see the Te Whatu Ora job website.
Consumer NZ, in partnership with EECA and the Electricity Authority, is supporting those at risk of energy hardship by distributing DL-sized brochures across Aotearoa. aims to reach communities nationwide through DL stands in high-traffic areas, and is looking for trusted community partners to help distribute them. There is no cost to practices willing to display these brochures.
Ngā Manukura is a clinical leadership programme for Māori nurses and midwives. To date, thirty-six cohorts are either in progress or have completed the programme. Enrolments are now open for the next intake, with 25 places available for those who meet the criteria.
Negotiations between PHOs and Te Whatu Ora Health NZ kicked off last week. For those practices who nominated Pinnacle MHN as their agent, Dr Jo Scott-Jones is representing you in the contracted provider caucus and has been selected as one of the four negotiators. It is important your practice is connected in these negotiations. If your practice does not know who your contracted provider caucus representative is, and you'd like to sign up with Pinnacle, please contact Yazmin Dorey, senior administrator.
Further to Te Whatu Ora AIR update communication, please note the ‘Evolution Immunisation Update - April 2025’ does not apply retrospectively to historical records. Practices should continue to follow their usual processes for managing changes to historical immunisation records—for example, where appropriate updating PCV10 to PCV13.
The national AIR team currently has a programme of work underway to explore technical solutions to better support this in the future.
A new formulation of insulin will be available from 1 May 2025. Ryzodeg® 70/30 contains insulin degludec (an ultra-long-acting insulin) and insulin aspart (rapid acting mealtime insulin) administered in one injection. This is licensed for patients aged 6 years and over. This is the first true long-acting insulin funded in Aotearoa. It has an elimination half-life of 25 hours, so remains in the body for a few days. Ryzodeg® 70/30 insulin must therefore only be injected up to a maximum of twice daily, with particular care taken when prescribing for the elderly population.
Te Whatu Ora has received notice that senior doctors who are Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) members plan to strike for 24 hours on Thursday 1 May (from 00.01am to 23.59pm). The nationwide strike is planned for all Te Whatu Ora hospitals and services where ASMS members are employed.
The National Cervical Screening Programme has advised that on 31 March Awanui identified a technical issue with their HPV testing system and paused all outgoing messages while working to resolve it. If you receive a result that shows HG cytology, please refer to colposcopy. Do not wait for HPV results.