Newsletters & General

Sex, desire and function: Assessment, management and referral WEBINAR 22 September, 7.30pm. Jo Robertson on common sexual concerns presenting in primary care, the role of sex therapy, and when referral is indicated. Register here Epilepsy: Considerations for paediatric, and female patients WEBINAR 29 September, 7.30pm. Lynette Sadleir will cover Paediatric epilepsy, and Ian Rosemergy discusses epilepsy management in women. Register here ADHD insights from confirming diag

Kia ora koutou As winter draws to a close, I want to acknowledge the dedication of our health workforce as they continue to manage a late surge in influenza cases across the country. Thank you to everyone providing high-quality care and support during this period of increased demand. The recently announced decision to fund flu vaccination for all children under five is a welcome investment in the protection of our youngest New Zealanders. Audrey SonersonDirector-General of H

For GPs, nurses, NPs, nurse prescribers, pharmacists and allied health clinicians who want clear, New Zealand‑specific updates they can use immediately. You’ll get: • The latest practice‑changing guidance • 6 CPD points (RNZCGP) and up to 6 hours PD (College of Nurses Aotearoa NZ) • Live Q&A • Ongoing access to all recordings. See you online on Saturday. Register now

In a cross-sectional study of 2,090 patients aged 18-40 with confirmed hypertension who were referred to a French hospital (with difficult-to-control BP or concern of secondary causes) and underwent full screening, 29.6% were found to have a secondary cause1. Primary aldosteronism was the most frequent diagnosis (54.8%), followed by renovascular hypertension (18.4%), kidney disease (12.9%), pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma (5.9%), drug-related hypertension (6.0%), and othe

Tēnā koe, We are pleased to share that the New Zealand Cervical Cancer Elimination Plan 2026-2040 was officially launched on 1 September 2026, providing a long-term national framework for achieving cervical cancer elimination in Aotearoa New Zealand by 2040. We would like to acknowledge and thank Te Aho o Te Kahu Cancer Control Agency for leading the development of the Plan, and Hei Āhuru Mōwai for their contribution throughout the process. We also recognise the many or

Issue 52 - 2026

Our latest CPD options for you: Making sense of continuous glucose monitoring data in diabetes care WEBINAR 1 September, 7.30pm. Tom Wilkinson presents evidence based CGM insights for type 2 diabetes, supporting clinical decision-making. Register here Sex, desire and function: Assessment, management and referral WEBINAR 22 September, 7.30pm. Jo Robertson on common sexual concerns presenting in primary care, the role of sex therapy, and when referral is indicated. Regist

In a cohort of over 521,000 adults treated for acute sinusitis, amoxicillin and amoxicillin‑clavulanate showed no meaningful difference in treatment failure1. Adverse events were uncommon overall, but amoxicillin‑clavulanate carried higher risks of secondary infections. Patients receiving amoxicillin‑clavulanate had higher rates of yeast infections (1.1% vs 0.8%; RR 1.40) and a double rate of C difficile infection (0.04% vs 0.02%; RR 2.14), representing small absolute but cli

Dear Members Last week, Nursing Council Chair Sharon Brownie advised that Catherine Byrne has resigned as Chief Executive and Registrar of the Nursing Council after eight years in the role. Deputy Registrars Nick Davis and Clare Prendergast, and Education Manager Annette Huntington, have also resigned. These unexpected announcements follow a significant increase in ministerial appointments to the Council, while the HPCA Amendment Bill has not yet been passed. While this l

Stay up to date, earn CPD points, and hear from frontline experts who understand the pressures and priorities of primary care. And don't worry if you're busy - by registering, you'll receive a link to all the sessions afterwards. Register here Two of our speakers are covering interesting ground: Caryn Zinn will talk about popular supplements, and Graham Denyer overviews the strengths and limitations of telehealth in primary care. Supplements: Science, Scams, or Seriously Us

Our latest CPD options for you: Management of common infections WEBINAR 18 August, 7.30pm. Stephen Ritchie will outline key updates from the national antibiotic guidelines. Register here Smoking and vaping cessation: A pragmatic approach WEBINAR 25 August, 7.30pm. John McMenamin and Chris Bullen on the current evidence on vaping benefits, risks, cessation support, and communication strategies that improve engagement. Register here Making sense of continuous glucose mon

These key messages, identified by Gout Action Aotearoa, a group of clinicians, researchers and organisations with a focus on improving the treatment and management of gout, are helpful when discussing gout with your patient and their whānau: Gout is not your fault. Gout is caused by too much uric acid in your body. The uric acid forms crystals in your joints, causing painful gout attacks. 90% of the uric acid in your body is caused by your genes and kidneys, while only 10% i

Long-term management of weight-loss pharmacotherapy WEBINAR 11 August, 7.30pm. Lara Courtenay will explore what long-term care looks like for patients using weight-loss pharmacotherapy beyond the initial treatment year. Register here Management of common infections WEBINAR 18 August, 7.30pm. Stephen Ritchie will outline key updates from the national antibiotic guidelines. Register here Smoking and vaping cessation: A pragmatic approach WEBINAR 25 August, 7.30pm. John McMe

The evidence for Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) compared with other interventions, such as CBT, is that it is more effective for increasing abstinence. The effectiveness of AA/Twelve Step Facilitation is supported by 27 studies involving 10,565 participants1. Compared with clinical interventions like CBT, manualised AA/TSF shows higher continuous abstinence at 12 months (RR 1.21) with effects sustained to 36 months. For percentage days abstinent, AA/TSF performs similarly at 12 mo

Our latest CPD options for you: A new era of Hepatitis B: Eliminating HBV WEBINAR 21 July, 7.30pm. Ed Gane on how to improve patient outcomes and why a coordinated national strategy is key to advancing viral hepatitis elimination. Register here COVID vaccination and antivirals in 2026 WEBINAR 28 July, 7.30pm. Hasan Bhally on how COVID-19 vaccination reduces severe disease, especially in high-risk groups, and outlines practical community management of acute COVID-19. R

Familial Hyperlipidemia (FH) affects ~1 in 250 people and carries a 10-20 times higher risk of premature CVD1. Missed frequently & standard risk calculators underestimate risk. Suspect FH with LDL‑C ≥5.0 mmol/L (≥4.0 on treatment), total cholesterol ≥7.5 mmol/L, premature CVD in the patient or family (men < 55; women < 60), arcus senilis, tendon xanthoma, xanthelasma. Rule out secondary causes: steroids, antipsychotics, immunosuppressants, antiretrovirals. If suspected, ch

Tēnā koe, We are pleased to share the refreshed New Zealand Cancer Action Plan 2026–2029 Te Mahere mō te Mate Pukupuku o Aotearoa 2026–2029. Cancer continues to place a significant and growing burden on Aotearoa New Zealand. More than 30,000 people are diagnosed each year, with this number expected to increase significantly in the coming decades as the population ages.While survival rates have improved, inequities in access and outcomes persist across different communities. T

Our latest CPD options for you: Injectables for weight loss WEBINAR 7 July, 7.30pm. Jeremy Krebs on initiating and managing injectable therapies, focusing on contraindications, dose titration, maintenance dosing and intolerance management. Register here Managing lumbar and cervical spine presentations WEBINAR 14 July, 7.30pm. Otis Shirley will outline a practical primary care approach to common lumbar and cervical spine presentations, including recognising key pathologies,

Dexamfetamine (Noumed) 5 mg tab A shipment has arrived and is available for wholesalers to order. > Dexamfetamine (Noumed) supply notice Methylphenidate Concerta: Supply of 27 mg tablets out of stock. All other strengths available. Ritalin: All strengths available Rubifen: All strengths available Sandoz XR: All strengths available Teva: Supply of 36 mg tablets low. Other strengths available. > Methylphenidate supply notice Rosuvastatin (all strengths) Stock of Rosuvastatin Vi