Welcome to another edition of Toitū te Oranga. 

Our new Hauraki PHO Claiming Portal launched on Monday 6th July is now live. To support your teams, please click here to access the user manual for guidance on using the new system.

This portal was developed in partnership with practices, and we thank everyone who attended the trainings and shared feedback to help create a simpler and more efficient claiming experience.

For support, please contact the Practice Support team.

From 1 July, COVID vaccination administration claiming for GP practice providers will be paid under the PHO services agreement. COVID administration payments will continue to be made via AIR.

That means in order to submit claims, from 1 July practices will need to update the agreement number they use to record vaccinations to the relevant PHO services agreement number.

 

• Health NZ has worked with PMS vendors and PHOs throughout 2025 and 2026 to support a coordinated release of updated immunisation claiming and recording functionality across PMS systems, including new electronic claiming codes for vaccine coadministration fees (following the 1 July 2025 PHOSA uplift) and the removal of reliance on manual Health NZ backpayment processes currently used to support some claims.

• Health NZ released the updated ELECTRONIC claiming codes on 24 June 2026. This means practices need to be using updated PMS versions to ensure correct payment for immunisations delivered from 1 July 2026.

• If practices are seeing any immunisation claims being rejected, they should cease claiming and contact their PMS vendors to confirm if any further actions are required to update their systems. Once the updates are completed, they can resubmit any rejected claims for payment and submit any outstanding claims.

 

From 1 July, your practice's capitation funding will receive a significant boost. This capitation 'reweighting' adjustment better recognises the real needs of your population, with payments now adjusted for patient complexity, deprivation and rurality. Please check your latest KARO Register Spreadsheet for details specific to your clinics. 

 

Reminder for teaching practices to submit an Expression of Interest to host a registrar in 2027. Please click here to complete an EOI Form by Friday 10th of July 2026.

 

Click here for the Medtech Evolution Version 9.0 upgrade release notes.

In this release:

 

Aotearoa Immunisation Register

GP2GP

Shared Digital Health Record

• A highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza (HPAI H5N1, clade 2.3.4.4b) has been spreading around the globe since 2020, impacting poultry and wildlife.

• Australian authorities confirmed detection of this strain of HPAI H5N1 in three migratory wild birds in southern Western Australia and South Australia.

• The risk of H5N1 in NZ remains low. 

 

Health New Zealand I Te Whatu Ora has announced an important change to how human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination will be delivered through the School Based Immunisation Programme from this month.

 

From 27 July 2026, children will be offered one dose of the HPV vaccine (Gardasil9) at school, with parent or caregiver consent. HPV dose 2 will no longer be offered in schools from this date.

 

The approved HPV vaccination course in New Zealand is currently two doses for children aged 9 to 14 years. However, international studies show that a single dose provides 97-98% protection against HPV infection and HPV-related cancers.

 

Based on this evidence, the World Health Organization now recommends a single-dose HPV vaccination schedule. Many countries, including Australia and the United Kingdom, have already adopted this approach.

 

Note, a second HPV dose remains free and available through GPs, pharmacies and community health providers at least six months after the first dose, should it be requested by whānau.

 

This change will enable schools to prioritise increasing the uptake of HPV dose 1 (which is currently low) and other catch-up immunisations to address existing immunity gaps and maximise the impact of the programme.

 

Click here for more information, including the role of primary care in the HPV programme change.

 

IMAC runs an HPV course for health professionals. Click here for more information and to register.

 

Click here to view the special report by diabetologist Dr Ryan Paul that outlines the new HbA1c diagnostic thresholds for prediabetes and diabetes that came into effect on 1 July 2026. These changes support the earlier detection and treatment of type 2 diabetes and align New Zealand with international standards.

Thursday 23 July I 12.30-1.30pm 

 

30 July - 1 August | Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland

 

Wednesday 13 August 2026 10:30am - 11:30am: Speech development

 

Location: Pinnacle Office - Ground flour, River Room, 711 Victoria street. Hamilton

29 July 2026, 8:30am - 30 July 2026, 4:30pm

17 November 2026, 8:30am - 18 November 2026, 4:30pm

 

Applications are open to registered nurses ready to undertake their Nurse  

Practitioner practicum year.

To support prospective applicants, webinars will be held between 21-30 July 2026,  

providing guidance on eligibility, application processes, programme expectations and  

employer and clinical supervisor information.

For more information on the scheme, webinars and how to apply visit: