23 October 2019

Laughter, they say, is the best medicine

Colourful handmade sleeves for people with dementia or delirium to stroke, pluck and pat are being trialled as a calming tool in Christchurch hospitals and homes
 

 The Ministry of Health has signalled it will “strengthen accountability” from primary care for equitable outcomes for Māori
 

GPs appear likely to lose the ability to charge patients copayments for DHB-funded services shifted from secondary to primary care

Just two days after Pharmac announced it would fund intrauterine devices Mirena and Jaydess, requests for appointments skyrocketed

The final report of the Health and Disability Review Panel is due early in an election year. It is unlikely to be easy reading for politicians hitting the hustings. Wellington correspondent Virginia McMillan reports
 

Planned changes to abortion law will allow employers to discriminate against medical practitioners who refuse to participate in abortions, says the NZMA
 

Just under 2.4 per cent of claims to ACC for funded treat¬ment are being declined under its controversial new automat¬ed claims system

Counties Manukau DHB is offering its Wellness Support mental health mod¬el to all general practices in its district, after declaring the programme’s first year a success

GP Lance O’Sullivan has not taken receipt of any of the container-style clinics he plans to introduce, despite hopes the “drive through” model of care would be under way in Rotorua from next month