GPNZ ACTIVITY SUMMARY – JUNE 2023
KEY MEETINGS
Over the month of June GPNZ leadership has engaged with a variety of key stakeholders including:
• Brooke Van Velden, health spokesperson, ACT Party
• Dame Dr Karen Poutasi, Chair Te Whatu Ora Board
• Dr Joe Bourne, CMO Manatū Hauora
• Kaiāwhina Working Group
• Pay parity sector group
• COVID-19 Primary and Community Model of Care Working Group
• Te Whatu Ora workforce modelling
• Dr Jeff Lowe, Te Whatu Ora Board
• Emma Prestidge, Te Whatu Ora Director Primary, Community and Rural
• Attended launch of ACC Huakina Te Rā 10-year strategy.
Key outcomes from these meetings
• Pursue further discussions with Te Whatu Ora on primary care roadmap and funding and workforce investment in the context of the ‘20-point plan ’
• Continued input to COVID-19 funding and model of care decisions in transition to BAU.
• Involvement in wider primary care strategy work, which will incorporate future organisational structures. We expect a date to progress the conversations in July with Te Whatu Ora, Te Aka Whai Ora and Manatū Hauora.
• Plan to explore opportunities for partnership working with ACC in the context of their strategic priorities
ADVOCACY
2023 PHO Services Agreement uplift
• GPNZ led development of a joint response on behalf of the GP Leaders’ Forum to the draft Prescription Notice issued by Te Whatu Ora. All members of GPLF have expressed gratitude for GPNZ’s leadership throughout the process.
• The ‘20-point plan’ includes clear messages and solutions focusing on the stabilisation and recovery of general practice. The ’20-point plan’ was developed by a small GPNZ group with extensive experience, with Martin Hefford contracted to provide leadership and advice.
• The collective response was welcomed as positive and constructive by Abbe Anderson, Te Whatu Ora Director of Commissioning
• Te Whatu Ora has formally acknowledged the financial and workforce challenges facing general practices and committed to working together on the solutions outlined in the 20point plan. Discussions are expected to progress in July.
Nurse Pay Disparity
• Discussions have continued between Te Whatu Ora, Te Aka Whai Ora and representatives from GPNZ, RNZCGP, Hauora Taiwhenua and GenPro on addressing nurse pay disparity with contracts now issued to practices via PHOs.
• GPNZ has been heavily involved in shaping the process and the communications and continues to support resolution of any queries and issues as the contracting is finalised.
• PHO CEOs have been involved in detailed discussions throughout, on distribution of the funding and the contracting arrangements with practices, with an expectation that the first payments will be made to practices in July.
Systems Pressures
• Phase one of the system pressures work has started across the eight priority districts. There is strong commitment to extend POAC services in areas where these are currently limited.
• Phase two of the extended POAC funding is due to kick off in October 2023 with planning currently underway.
Future of PHOs Working Group
• A group has been established to lead discussions on the future of PHOs on behalf of the wider GPNZ network, with two PHO CEOs from each region and representation from the Māori PHO caucus, together with GPNZ Chair and the CEO.
• The group met on June 16, with some key themes and principles identified which will form the basis of initial discussions with Manatū Hauora, Te Whatu Ora and Te Aka Whai Ora.
• There have also been informal conversations between the Chair and the Chief Medical Officer at Manatū Hauora, which is expected to lead on wider primary care strategy work.
Political engagement
• Labour MPs Willow-Jean Prime (Associate Minister of Health), Peeni Heanare (Associate Minister of Health – Māori) and Kelvin Davis, Member for Te Tai Tokerau have been invited to the upcoming Ngā Matapihi o te Wairua hui in Waitangi in August
• Shane Reti will attend a PHO CEO meeting in the near future. Dr Reti has also been invited to the upcoming Ngā Matapihi o te Wairua hui in Waitangi in August.
• A meeting between GPNZ leadership (Chair Bryan Betty and CEO Maura Thompson) is being scheduled with Green Party health spokesperson Ricardo Menéndez March and mental health spokesperson Chlöe Swarbrick
• A meeting between GPNZ leadership, Ngā Matapihi o te Wairua and Te Pāti Māori is also being scheduled.
PROJECTS
Sapere Report
• GPNZ has commissioned research from Sapere to provide evidence for the challenges facing general practice, and the opportunities for addressing sustainability. Phase one work has been completed, and findings of the research will be shared more widely in the coming weeks.
Unmet Need Research
• GPNZ has commissioned Otago University lead researcher Prof Robin Gauld to complete a piece of practice-based research to understand the impact of managing patients with unmet need on general practice.
• It will help to quantify the number of declined hospital specialist referrals, explore the rationale for not making a referral to hospital specialist care.
• We expect the findings to have a significant impact on policy making and on public understanding. It could also be very valuable for the general practice community in terms of assisting with conversations around the level of support needed to provide care related to unmet need
• The project is due to start in July and estimated to end December 2023.
GPNZ would like to express our gratitude to PHO members who provided funding assistance to progress these important pieces of work.
