Monday Pānui 9 February 2026

In today’s Pānui	National Primary Care Dataset Webinar 12 Month Prescribing – Amended 9.1 Foundation Standards Policy Template and Patient Resources National Public Health Service Dengue outbreaks in the Pacific – Public Health Advisory Nipah Virus – Public Health Advisory
National Primary Care Dataset Webinar	Please join Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora for a primary care sector webinar outlining next steps with the introduction of the National Primary Care Dataset on Thursday 12 February at 5.30pm. The National Primary Care Dataset is being introduced this year to bring primary care information together in one place so we can better understand what’s working well and where support is needed. General practices will need to agree to share their data  with the National Primary Care Dataset in order to continue receiving contingent capitation. The first phase of data collection focuses on GP appointment information, which will tell us how quickly people can see their GP and will be used to measure progress against the new Primary Care Health Access Target. There will also be an update on the roll-out of the Shared Digital Health Record at the webinar. The Shared Digital Health Record is a national clinical data connector that lets healthcare providers securely access a person’s core health information through shared electronic health record systems, giving them a more complete picture of a patient’s health wherever they receive care. Webinar details: Date: Thursday 12 February 2026 Time: 5.30pm – 6.30pm Format: Presentation and panel Q&A Joining link here. Please send the team at Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora any questions you would like them to answer in advance by emailing primary.care@tewhatuora.govt.nz. You’ll also be able to post questions during the webinar.
12 Month Prescribing – Amended 9.1 Foundation Standards Policy Template and Patient Resources	As you are aware, from the 1st of February 2026 prescribers are now able to decide whether a prescription length of 12 months is clinically appropriate for each patient, in accordance with the Medicines (Increasing the Period of Supply) Amendment Regulations 2025. Auckland PHO has amended the Foundation Standards 9.1 Policy Template (Repeat Prescribing) to incorporate 12-month prescribing changes. This document is intended as a template and may be adapted by practices as required. You can also access this policy template in the Auckland PHO Resource Library under Foundation Standards (password: aucklandpho). Resources for Patients: You can download and print the below poster and flyer for sharing with your patients: Flyer Poster Other points to note: There is no change to prescribing or dispensing requirements for medicines controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975. The maximum quantity of medicine that can legally be supplied on any one occasion is not changing and will remain at three months (six months for oral contraceptives), as it is now. Where medicines are changed, stopped, or become clinically inappropriate during the prescription period, the prescriber making the change should take reasonable steps to communicate this to the dispensing pharmacy, in line with usual practice. You can find more information, including an overview of what general practice needs to know here. Updates also continue to be shared on the College’s 12-month prescribing webpage.
Public Health Advisory - Dengue outbreaks in the Pacific	In case you missed it, please find linked below a public health advisory from the National Public Health Service (NPHS) circulated on 30 January regarding the ongoing dengue outbreak in the Pacific. Public Health Advisory – Dengue Outbreak in the Pacific
Public Health Advisory - Nipah Virus	In case you missed it, please find linked below a public health advisory circulated today from the National Public Health Service (NPHS) alerting healthcare professionals to reported new cases of Nipah virus in India.  Public Health Advisory – Nipah virus – Feb 2026

Barbara Stevens | Tumu Whakarae / CEO