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Latest Health Headlines
New Rule For Faster Medicines Approvals Welcomed By Patients
Thursday, 3 April 2025, 9:14 am | Brain Tumour Support New Zealand
Chief Executive of Brain Tumour Support NZ, Sarah Verran, said that the Rule of Two will provide meaningful benefits to brain tumour patients, especially those with highly malignant tumours for which there is currently no cure, by bringing them to ... More >>
Extended Skill Mix In Primary Care Teams Improves Patient Access And Outcomes
Thursday, 3 April 2025, 8:42 am | GPNZ
“Signs seem positive, but we will continue to push hard for the sustained investment and workforce development needed to make this the new normal,” concludes Andrew Swanson-Dobbs, CEO at WellSouth Primary Health Network and member of the GPNZ Executive ... More >>
Health Decision Makers Should Heed Conclusions In Primary Healthcare Report
Thursday, 3 April 2025, 7:34 am | General Practice Owners Association
GenPro looks forward to working with the Minister of Health to find ways to improve primary healthcare to enhance patient outcomes. More >>
One Third Of New Zealanders Waiting More Than Two Weeks To See GP - Poll
Wednesday, 2 April 2025, 8:54 pm | RNZ
More than one in six people wait three or four weeks, or even longer, according to the first RNZ-Reid Research poll. More >>
Group Therapy Could Be NZ’s Mental Health Game-Changer
Wednesday, 2 April 2025, 4:15 pm | I am Hope
The study surveyed nearly 100 mental health professionals who have run or currently run group therapy sessions. Findings show that group therapy costs an average of just $41 per session per person, making it significantly more affordable than traditional ... More >>
New Chair For Veterinary Council Of New Zealand Elected
Wednesday, 2 April 2025, 3:35 pm | Veterinary Council Of New Zealand
Dr Kylie Lawson was first elected to the Council in 2023 as an elected veterinary member and previously served as Chair of its Complaints Assessment Committee (CAC). More >>
Pharmacy Sector Leaders Forum (PSLF) Common Purpose Statement
Wednesday, 2 April 2025, 2:42 pm | Pharmacy Sector Leaders Forum
By working collaboratively, we will represent the pharmacy sector to drive positive change across sustainability, help deliver a well-resourced and supported workforce where equity is fundamental, says PSLF. More >>
Ministry Of Health To Look Further At Waikato Hospital Event
Wednesday, 2 April 2025, 1:42 pm | Ministry of Health
Under the Mental Health Act, the Director of Mental Health has statutory powers to examine the events that took place at Waikato Hospital, including whether an inquiry under Section 95 is required. More >>
Announcing Primary Progressive Aphasia Awareness Day 4th April
Wednesday, 2 April 2025, 10:26 am | Aphasia New Zealand Charitable Trust
4th April, 2025 is the first International Awareness Day for Primary Progressive Aphasia More >>
Upper Clutha’s Healthcare Crisis: Report Unveils Urgent Needs
Wednesday, 2 April 2025, 9:08 am | Health Action Wanaka
“Despite Wānaka’s population being projected to grow at a rate of 144% by 2053, and the Upper Clutha being one of the country’s fastest-growing communities, we have been left behind when it comes to investment in healthcare," says Health Action ... More >>
Second Person Poisoned By Toxic Algae In Lake Hood
Tuesday, 1 April 2025, 9:28 pm | Jonathan Leask - Local Democracy Reporter
This is the third year-in-a-row the lake has had an algae-related health warning in place. More >>
A New Era Begins For Equine Health In New Zealand
Tuesday, 1 April 2025, 12:07 pm | NZEHA
Following years of research and collaboration, the National Equine Identification and Traceability (NEIT) project has developed into a comprehensive system designed to strengthen biosecurity across the country. More >>
Hāpai Te Hauora Launches "That’s Us" Campaign For World Smokefree May
Tuesday, 1 April 2025, 11:35 am | Hapai Te Hauora
With a focus on persistence, the campaign invites those who smoke to seek support from their local Stop Smoking Service and sign up to quit, whether it’s for the first time or after previous attempts. More >>
Rising Power Costs Puts Health At Risk
Tuesday, 1 April 2025, 8:56 am | Asthma and Respiratory Foundation
Energy poverty - where a household is not able to afford power to provide a healthy home - it can pose serious health risks, especially for those living with respiratory conditions such as asthma and COPD. More >>
A Primer On Vaccination Ahead Of Flu Season
Monday, 31 March 2025, 5:26 pm | RNZ
Flu vaccinations are free for vulnerable groups in New Zealand. If you do not meet the criteria for a free flu jab, most health providers charge between $25 and $45, Health NZ says. More >>
WellSouth Boosts Free Flu Vaccination Eligibility
Monday, 31 March 2025, 4:32 pm | WellSouth
Persons aged 65 and over or people who have long-term medical conditions like diabetes, asthma, or a heart condition and/or long-term mental health conditions are already eligible for a free vaccination. More >>
Coalition Calls For Urgent Reforms To Stabilise Disability Support Systems And Address Inadequacies In Aotearoa
Monday, 31 March 2025, 3:50 pm | ANZMES
The coalition, representing a diverse range of conditions and communities, warns that the current DSS framework is neither equitable nor sustainable - failing many disabled individuals and their families. More >>
Gore Health Staff Recognised For Their Dedication
Monday, 31 March 2025, 3:28 pm | WellSouth
Gore Health Centre, a medium-sized general practice adjacent to Gore Hospital, with support from Collaborative Aotearoa, has embraced a patient appreciation tool developed by HUMAN by ShareGratitude. More >>
Exhausted Bupa Aged Care Workers Take A Stand Against Proposed Cuts
Monday, 31 March 2025, 3:06 pm | New Zealand Nurses Organisation
The rally is part of a response to proposed nationwide changes by BUPA and other major aged care providers which will cut nurses’ and caregivers’ hours and increase workloads - putting the health and safety of elderly and frail residents at risk. More >>
Creating Solutions - ID Card For People With Brain Injury Launched
Monday, 31 March 2025, 2:10 pm | Brain Injury NZ
Anyone living with brain injury who would find a Brain Injury Identity Card helpful should get in touch with their local Brain Injury Association. More >>
School Lunches Failing To Meet Nutrition And Energy Standards: Urgent Action Needed
Monday, 31 March 2025, 9:40 am | Public Health Communication Centre
Briefing authors say SLC, which supplies over half of the students in the programme, has failed to fully disclose sufficient information to assess nutrition compliance of all meals despite its website stating, ‘transparency is at the heart of what ... More >>
New Cases Of Dementia Picked Up By Researchers
Monday, 31 March 2025, 8:40 am | University of Auckland
Dementia is associated with loss of memory, mental confusion, language problems, spatial perception difficulties, and changes in mood and behaviour. The project has been able to help several older people and caregivers who were experiencing distress ... More >>
Study Into Heart Attacks Among Young Fijian NZers
Sunday, 30 March 2025, 4:14 pm | RNZ
"There should not be these deaths occurring so young in these families; there must be a genetic driver," says Otago University researcher Dr Pritika Narayan. More >>
Government's Primary Healthcare Spend Hasn't Increased In Real Terms Since 2009
Saturday, 29 March 2025, 3:29 pm | RNZ
New figures show the primary healthcare portion of the total health budget hasn't increased since 2009. More >>
‘No Wait Time, No Booking’: Mobile Clinic Helps Bridge Health Gap
Saturday, 29 March 2025, 5:25 am | Zita Campbell - Local Democracy Reporter
The free clinic operates monthly, offering care without appointments. More >>
Psychologists Warn Of Patient Risk From Undertrained Workforce
Friday, 28 March 2025, 9:00 pm | Protect NZ Psychology
Psychologists fear that without the proper training, associate psychologists may fail to identify serious mental health issues such as suicide risk, psychosis, and personality disorders. More >>
Health Warning – Unsafe Recreational Water Quality At Waiau Uwha River At SH70
Friday, 28 March 2025, 8:04 pm | Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand
Eating fish from these sites should be avoided. If fish are eaten, remove the gut and liver and wash in clean water before cooking. For further information on gathering Mahinga Kai refer to information below. More >>
KEYTRUDA®Now Registered To Treat Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma, Biliary Tract Carcinoma & Merkel Cell Carcinoma
Friday, 28 March 2025, 9:04 am | MSD
Vanessa Gascoigne, Merck Sharp & Dohme (New Zealand) Limited (MSD) Director, says, “We are excited about these new registrations as mesothelioma, Merkel cell carcinoma and biliary tract cancer are rare forms of cancer.” More >>
Health Warning Lifted For The Waihi River Upstream Of The Wilson Street Footbridge
Thursday, 27 March 2025, 5:18 pm | Health New Zealand
Latest water testing results show faecal bacteria levels in Waihi River are now below guideline values and the health warning issued on 6th March 2025 has been removed with the water Waihi River upstream of the Wilson Street Footbridge now suitable ... More >>
Chronic Pain From Endometriosis Demands Action
Thursday, 27 March 2025, 4:14 pm | Endometriosis New Zealand
"A National Action Plan would also help ensure non-invasive diagnostic tools and a greater range of treatments are prioritised, and access is equitable," says Endometriosis New Zealand Chief Executive Tanya Cooke. More >>
CPCT - A Success Story In Southern
Thursday, 27 March 2025, 3:18 pm | WellSouth
CPCT, a national programme funded by Te Whatu Ora, was established to improve equity of access and health outcomes for people living in rural communities, Māori and Pacific Peoples. More >>
Pharmac Proposing To Fund Two Brands Of Oestradiol Patches
Thursday, 27 March 2025, 1:54 pm | PHARMAC
If approved, Pharmac would fund both brands of oestradiol patches from 1 December 2025 and people could use either brand of patch, subject to availability. The public consultation opens on 27 March and closes on 22 April. More >>
AI Leads To Breakthrough In Knee Surgery
Thursday, 27 March 2025, 1:13 pm | University of Auckland
Patients whose legs are naturally curved are responding well to a novel form of knee-replacement surgery that uses AI to find the best alignment of the new components for their body. More >>
Director Of Public Health Appointed
Thursday, 27 March 2025, 12:21 pm | Ministry of Health
She has been involved in many health research projects over the last 20 years with research interests that include population and heart health, health equity, improving health care access, and the health of Pacific peoples. More >>
E Tū Condemns Disestablishment Of Hospital Supporter Roles At Te Toka Tumai Auckland Hospital
Thursday, 27 March 2025, 11:52 am | E Tu
E tū Director Mat Danaher says it is yet another example of the damage to the health system being delivered by the National-led Government. More >>
11-year-old Put In Mental Health Facility Given Two Doses Of Antipsychotics, Minister Says
Wednesday, 26 March 2025, 8:24 pm | RNZ
Matt Doocey told Morning Report the situation is hugely distressing. More >>
Karamū High School Steps Up To Support Cancer Cause
Wednesday, 26 March 2025, 4:39 pm | Karamu High School
Led by Year 13 Community Leaders Taylor Bevan, Bella Bridson and Kylah-Jay Garrett-Naera, the student-run Relay for Life saw students and staff walk more than 2500 kilometres — the equivalent of travelling from Hastings to Brisbane — around a 500-metre ... More >>
Vapes Fail To Curb Smoking Habits Among Teens, New Study Finds
Wednesday, 26 March 2025, 8:59 am | Asthma and Respiratory Foundation
The research, published in The Lancet, found that the introduction and rapid rise of vaping in New Zealand has had little to no impact on the rate of decline in daily smoking among 14-15-year-olds between 1999 to 2023. More >>
Primary Health Care Wage Agreement Reached But Pay Parity Still Needed To Retain Nurses
Monday, 24 March 2025, 2:44 pm | New Zealand Nurses Organisation
NZNO’s College of Primary Health Care Nurses chair Tracey Morgan says there was overwhelming support for the Multi Employment Collective Agreement offer for an immediate increase of 5% followed by a further 3% in July. More >>
Game-Changer In Cancer Care: Mobile Imaging Brings Gallium-68 Dotatate PET-CT Scans To Patients
Monday, 24 March 2025, 1:25 pm | Mobile Health
Mobile Health Group and Mercy Radiology partnered together in 2024 to roll out Mobile Imaging – New Zealand’s first state-of-the-art mobile PET-CT unit, designed to travel across regions, ensuring that PET-CT scans are no longer confined to urban ... More >>
New Zealand’s First Cross-Party Parliamentary Group On Rare And Undiagnosed Disorders Established
Monday, 24 March 2025, 1:19 pm | Rare Disorders NZ
Rare Disorders New Zealand initiated the establishment of the group, which was supported by Hon. David Seymour, Associate Minister of Health, with the inaugural meeting being hosted in the Minister’s office. More >>
How CBD Can Assist With Pain Management
Saturday, 22 March 2025, 2:37 pm | Hugh Grant
One of the primary reasons people turn to CBD for pain relief is the potential to avoid the side effects of traditional pain medications. Prescription opioids, while effective, carry a high risk of addiction and dependency. More >>
Vaping A Gateway To Smoking, Study Shows
Friday, 21 March 2025, 4:09 pm | University of Auckland
The new research, from Cancer Council NSW, the University of Sydney’s Daffodil Centre, and University of Auckland, on vaping and smoking trends among New Zealand adolescents is challenging previous findings used to lobby against effective e-cigarette ... More >>
Australian & New Zealand Fragility Fracture Registry Annual Report 2025
Friday, 21 March 2025, 2:16 pm | ANZFFR
The ultimate goal of the ANZFFR is to use data to improve health system performance and maximise outcomes for people with fragility fractures by improving secondary fracture prevention, reducing rates of further fragility fractures and their associated More >>
Unleash The Power Of Purple For Purple Day
Friday, 21 March 2025, 12:08 pm | Epilepsy NZ
Purple Day is more than just about wearing purple. It’s about creating understanding, offering hope, and giving people living with epilepsy the support they need. This day helps shine a light on the fact that epilepsy affects real people in our communities, ... More >>
The Inspirational Taranaki Community That’s Just Hit 100% Childhood Immunisations
Friday, 21 March 2025, 9:52 am | Health New Zealand
Hawera in Taranaki has managed to achieve a milestone many communities across the country are striving to reach. The team at South Taranaki Rural Health Group recently struck 100 per cent fully immunised for all enrolled children under 8 months old. ... More >>
Report Confirms That Mental Health And Addiction Programmes Are A Sound Investment
Thursday, 20 March 2025, 9:51 pm | Platform Trust
The release of this report demonstrates that community and local NGOs have the capability to scale up and meet challenges in the health sector. More >>
Round Two AI In Primary Care Survey Highlights Growing Adoption
Thursday, 20 March 2025, 5:42 pm | General Practice NZ
With 256 participants, the survey found that 68% of respondents now use AI tools—up from 52% in the first round. Notably, daily AI use has risen from 25% to 40%, highlighting the growing contribution of these technologies in primary care. More >>
Building Awareness For Primary Progressive Aphasia In NZ
Thursday, 20 March 2025, 4:21 pm | Aphasia New Zealand Charitable Trust
World’s first Primary Progressive Aphasia Awareness Day 4th April, 2025 More >>
Health Warning – Algal Bloom In Lake Hood
Thursday, 20 March 2025, 3:47 pm | Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand
Dr Annabel Begg, Public Health Medicine Specialist for the National Public Health Service, says the algal bloom can produce toxins harmful to humans and animals. More >>
Driving Endurance And Support For Multiple Sclerosis New Zealand
Thursday, 20 March 2025, 2:01 pm | Multiple Sclerosis New Zealand
Covering thousands of kilometres through less-travelled roads and awe-inspiring landscapes, the rally aims to raise vital funds and awareness for MS New Zealand and other charitable causes championed by Rotary. More >>
Pharmac Proposes To Fund More Medicines For Melanoma
Thursday, 20 March 2025, 1:53 pm | PHARMAC
Pharmac’s Director Pharmaceuticals, Geraldine MacGibbon, says funding these medicines would provide more treatment options to use around the time of surgery, or if people’s cancer is at a later stage and they can’t have surgery. More >>
Community Effort Needed To Raise Vaccination Rates Against Canine Parvovirus
Thursday, 20 March 2025, 12:27 pm | NZ Veterinary Association
Parvovirus is a highly contagious, potentially fatal viral disease affecting the dog’s gastrointestinal tract. It can be passed on when dogs sniff, lick or eat contaminated faeces, or through encountering food and water bowls, or footwear that ... More >>
Digital Health Association Excited By Government Announcement
Thursday, 20 March 2025, 11:40 am | Digital Health Association
The announcement about the electronic controlled drug register follows the release earlier this month of the Government’s five health priorities. More >>
RNZAF Flight Delivers Much-Needed Medical Chairs To Samoa
Thursday, 20 March 2025, 10:42 am | RNZAF
The Hercules left RNZAF Base Auckland on Wednesday on its way to the United States, with a scheduled stop in Apia. More >>
Dental Association Share’s Top Tips For A Healthy Mouth On World Oral Health Day
Thursday, 20 March 2025, 8:48 am | New Zealand Dental Association
Brushing with fluoridated toothpaste for two minutes, twice a day is the cornerstone of good oral health. This should be done after breakfast and just before bed. Taking a toothbrush to work to brush after lunch is another thing one can do to further ... More >>
Research Finds Significant Shortfalls In Early Intervention Psychosis Services
Wednesday, 19 March 2025, 2:46 pm | Victoria University of Wellington
The study surveyed 12 early intervention psychosis services in NZ, assessing them against international standards for care. These services were set up to provide treatment for people suffering from psychosis symptoms, such as hallucinations & delusions, ... More >>
Celebrate World Down Syndrome Day With The Big Connect – A Global Call To “Improve Our Support Systems”
Wednesday, 19 March 2025, 2:30 pm | NZDSA
This year’s global theme, 'Improve Our Support Systems,' set by Down Syndrome International (DSi), urges all governments to take immediate action to improve support systems by creating better, more effective services for people with Down syndrome and their ... More >>
NZVA Supports Work To Speed Up Availability Of New Veterinary Medicines
Wednesday, 19 March 2025, 2:15 pm | NZ Veterinary Association
While doing this work, it will be critical that any improvements maintain the balance between timely access to medicines and the evaluation required to protect animal health, public health, and the environment. More >>
Shaping The Future Of Lung Health: Smoking, E-Cigarettes, Occupational Lung Disease Take Centre Stage At TSANZSRS 2025
Wednesday, 19 March 2025, 2:09 pm | TSANZSRS
Experts will discuss the role of healthcare professionals in combating the e-cigarette epidemic and highlight the latest evidence-based strategies to reduce smoking and vaping rates across Australia and New Zealand. More >>
