# 506
Friday 5 February 2010
IN THIS ISSUE:
- Notice of Election – Call for Nominations
- NZMA Welcomes National Health Board Appointment
- Dr Divya Dhar – Young New Zealander of the Year Award
- NZMA Auckland Council Event
- Merger of PHOs
- Health Workforce New Zealand – New Website
- NZMA GPC Meeting and more…
NEWS
Notice of Election – Call for Nominations
In accordance with the Constitutional Rules of the NZMA, nominations are invited for three positions on the NZMA Board. Nominees must be members of the NZMA, and nominations may be made by any financial member of the NZMA. All nominations must have the endorsement of the nominee. If more than three nominations are received, a postal ballot of all financial members of the NZMA will be held. Nominations close at 4pm, 12 March 2010. A copy of the nomination form can be found on our website at www.nzma.org.nz/news and forms will also be included in the February issue of Medspeak.
If you require further information please email nzma@nzma.org.nz
NZMA Welcomes National Health Board Appointment
The NZMA welcomed the appointment of Chai Chuah as the first National Director to the new National Health Board. Mr Chuah, who has been the interim National Director since last October, is well recognised and respected within the health sector said NZMA Chair Dr Peter Foley.
“Having served as the Chief Executive of the Hutt Valley District Health Board since 2002, Mr Chuah has considerable experience in the health sector and will now be able to take up this important and challenging role.”
“The NZMA strongly supports the goals of the NHB which seeks to reduce duplication of our health services and ensure greater consistency in the performance of all District Health Boards.” Dr Foley said the NZMA looked forward to working closely with Mr Chuah and the NHB to ensure it delivers optimal health services to all New Zealanders.
Dr Divya Dhar – Young New Zealander of the Year Award
Dr Divya Dhar, an NZMA member and past Vice-President of the NZMSA, has won the Young New Zealander of the Year Award which is a tremendous and well earned achievement says NZMA Chief Executive Cameron McIver.
The awards recognise the outstanding achievements of individuals and communities across New Zealand, and acknowledge the inspirational influence their work has on society.
Divya, who is 24 and has recently qualified as a doctor, is committed to publicising social injustices and climate change.
“Divya has shown impressive leadership skills, initiative and commitment to the causes she believes in. The NZMA is proud to have played a small part in helping Divya develop her leadership abilities over the years,” says Mr McIver. “The NZMA commends Divya for her dedication and hard work, especially in light of also having had to balance the demands of studying for her medical degree.”
NZMA Auckland Council Event
Mark your diaries for Monday 1 March. Better, Sooner, More Convenient in Waitemata is the NZMA Auckland Council’s first event for the year and brought to you by the NZMA and Harbour Health PHO. Guest speakers are: Dr Peter Foley, NZMA Chair, Dr Lannes Johnson, Clinical Director Harbour Health, Dr Johan Rosamund, and Mr Alan Greenslade, CEO of PHONZ. The event is being held at St John’s Ambulance HQ, 2 Shea Terrace, Takapuna (opposite the hospice) @ 6.30pm. Light refreshments will be on offer. Please RSVP to Debbie Papera on 04 472-4741 or email debbie@nzma.org.nz
Merger of PHOs
The NZMA supports moves by Minister of Health Tony Ryall to encourage consolidation of some PHOs as it has long advocated for greater rationalisation of health services and a reduction in duplication. However all decisions must take into account the interests of patients and practitioners. Yesterday Mr Ryall said he had written to five DHBs - Waitemata (six PHOs), Auckland, which covers cental Auckland (five), Northland (six), Capital Coast Health in Wellington (seven) and Hutt Valley (five) pushing for consolidation of their PHOs as progress was not moving at the rate he’d like to see.
“In primary care, as in anywhere else in the health service we need to move resources to the front line and unnecessary bureaucratic structures need to go,” said Mr Ryall. He added that too much money is being spent on administration including PHO management fees.
PHO mergers were already taking place including in Otago-Southland where nine PHOs are being merged into one.
Health Workforce New Zealand – New Website
Health Workforce New Zealand has launched its website which aims to be informative, promote innovation and celebrate NZ’s health and disability workforce. Over time it will profile various workforces, add sections on data and research, and provide forums for sharing ideas and discussing issues of interest. The NZMA is in discussions with HWNZ regarding collaboration in communicating with doctors on workforce matters.
Visit the new website at: www.healthworkforce.govt.nz
Feedback and suggestions please email info@healthworkforce.govt.nz
NZMA ACTIVITIES
- The General Practitioner Council held its first meeting for the year on Tuesday 2 February. Matters discussed included changes in approach to claims by ACC, the Counties Manukau DHB physician assistant trial, the Select Committee inquiry into immunisation rates, the EOI process and General Practice representation. In addition Mr Danny Wu from the Ministry of Health met with the Council to discuss PHO Funding (cuts) for 2009/10.
- NZMA Chair Dr Peter Foley is in Canberra this week, where he met with AMA leadership and presented to Nehta (Australia’s e-health development team) on IT developments in New Zealand.
- Next week Dr Foley’s diary includes meeting with DHAS; attending the MCNZ farewell to Chair Dr John Campbell where an announcement will also be made on the new MCNZ Chair; and attending the RNZCGP Quality Symposium.
MORE NEWS
Vaccination Study Revoked
Research that linked the measles vaccine with autism has been retracted by the British Medical Association’s medical journal The Lancet, which published the study in 1998. This led to a dramatic drop in vaccinations worldwide. In New Zealand the measles vaccine uptake is one of the lowest in the OECD and Dr Nikki Turner of the Immunisation Advisory Centre says “it really affected confidence in all vaccines, not just MMR.” Articles on this topic can be found at:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/3290939/Dishonest-vaccination-study-revoked
http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/bal-md.autism03feb03,0,1391155.story
Smokefree New Zealand by 2020
An article which found that the majority of New Zealanders support a smokefree New Zealand by 2020 has generated extensive media coverage in the past week. The article appears in the latest issue of the New Zealand Medical Journal, which also includes a number of other articles on smoking cessation. Go to www.nzma.org.nz/journal
FROM THE POLICY DESK
New NZMA Submissions Filed this Week
New Consultation
The Ministry of Health have released a consultation document entitled, “How do we Determine if Statutory Regulation is the Most Appropriate Way to Regulate Health Professions.” A copy of the consultation can be found at
http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/pagesmh/9894/$File/statutory-regulation-health-professions-discussion-document-jan10.pdf The NZMA intends to prepare a submission on this. If you would like to have your comments considered in our submission please send your feedback to lucille@nzma.org.nz no later than Friday 19 February 2010.
EVENTS
NZMA GP CME 2010
ROTORUA 10-13 June
Mark your diaries! GP CME 2010 will be held, in conjunction with the NZMA, at the Energy Events Centre, Rotorua 10-13 June 2010.
The programme will provide a general practice update, with short, sharp and to the point clinical content, including key take home messages to change practice behaviour immediately. More details to come in future issues of VS.
Spend some QUALITY time away from the daily grind
WELLINGTON 12-13 February
The RNZCGP Quality Symposium in Wellington, is taking place on February 12-13. You can view the full programme and register at http://www.rnzcgp.org.nz/quality-symposium/
Featuring international speakers Nick Goodwin (Kings Fund, UK inquiry into the quality of general practice, Chair of the International Network for Integrated Care); Candace Imison (Kings Fund, Integrated family Health Centers, UK inquiry into the quality of general practice); and Chris Mitchell (President Royal Australian College of GPs) the symposium will be a major learning and decision making forum for improving clinical outcomes for patients in primary care.
Countdown to NZRGPN Conference
CHRISTCHURCH 11-14 March
This year’s programme is one the best put together by the conference committee and features workshops and sessions as diverse as Wilderness Medicine and Acupuncture in pain control to Fracture management and Dealing with legal issues in twenty-ten. With an emphasis on the inventiveness and resilience of rural general practice, this year’s theme is, aptly, “Rural Health – No. 8 Wired”.
Conference 2010 has been endorsed by The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP) and has been provisionally approved for up to 16 hours (= 16 credits) CME for General Practice Education Programme Stage 2 (formerly AVE) and Maintenance of Professional Standards (MOPS) purposes.
The conference runs from March 11-14 at the Christchurch Convention Centre. If you have any questions or queries please call Network communications manager Rob Olsen on 04 495 5887, 021 82 2468 or email rob@rgpn.org.nz
Or visit www.rgpn.org.nz to register.
HDC Medical-Legal Seminar
WELLINGTON 24 March
The Health and Disability Commissioner’s office invites you to a seminar Reflections on a Decade of Change – 24 March 2010 in Wellington, 8.30am-4.30pm – to hear from some of New Zealand’s medico-legal experts reflecting on health law in the last decade. The conference has been accredited by the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, and is suitable for CPD purposes. Speakers will include Otago University Professor Peter Skegg, Auckland University Associate Professor Joanna Manning, Auckland University Professor Alan Merry, Counties Manukau Quality Director Dr Mary Seddon, Chapman Tripp partner Adam Ross and Commissioner Ron Paterson. Please email Julia Phillips if you would like to attend or have any queries: jphillips@hdc.org.nz
Occupational and Aviation Medicine
NELSON 13 February
Air Nelson (Air New Zealand Ltd) is hosting General Practitioners for a day of Occupational and Aviation Medicine. The day includes sessions on passenger fitness to fly, crew health, occupational medicine and alcohol and drug rehabilitation. There is also the opportunity to visit the air traffic control tower and see an aircraft in the engineering hangar.
Date: 13th February 2010
Time: 0845 – 1540
Venue: Air Nelson, Rapide Place, Nelson Airport.
There is no charge for this event.
Please contact 09 2558047 to register for this event. Places are limited.
MEMBER BENEFIT
NZ Medical Membership Offer –
NZMA members that process their credit card transactions with Westpac, and choose to lease a new Verifone Vx-510 EFTPOS terminal, can receive a membership rebate of $300 + GST towards your next NZMA membership. Click on the following link for more details: http://www.nzma.org.nz/membership/PDF%20Files/Westpac%20EFTPOSPlus.pdf
NZMA members can also email eftpos.direct@westpac.co.nz for further information, or call a Westpac Electronic Payments Specialist directly on 0800 888 066 (option 3).
AMEX BUSINESS CARD
NZMA members have access to the NZMA Gold Business Card. This is being offered in addition to the very successful American Express® NZMA Platinum and Gold Personal Credit Cards. The NZMA Business Card gives you access to American Express Membership Rewards®1, New Zealand’s best rewards programme overall*. Plus it brings you tangible business benefits including no pre-set spending limit2, up to 50 days additional cashflow and complimentary International Travel Insurance.
To apply3 for your NZMA Gold Business Card, or find out more, talk to one of our dedicated business specialists – 0800 100 556
MEMBER ADVISORY
Employment Relations Act – Problem Resolution
The ERA requires that all employment agreements have an explanation of the services available to employees for the resolution of employment relationship problems. The NZMA Advisory Service has a sample of a plain language explanation of services available for problem resolution, which members can adopt and write into any employment agreement. Download this from our website at http://www.nzma.org.nz/membersonly/advisory-service.html or email Debbie Papera debbie@nzma.org.nz for a copy.
Vital Signs is a weekly email bulletin with news and information about the NZMA. It aims to keep members in touch with the NZMA’s work, and complement the NZMA newsletter Medspeak and website. If you do not wish to receive Vital Signs, please reply with the word “unsubscribe” in the subject line.
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