News and Events

NZMA election form
In accordance with the Consitutional rules and by-laws of the New Zealand Medical Association, nominations are invited for two positions on the NZMA Board. Nominees and nominators must be financial members of the NZMA. All nominations must have the endorsement of the nominee. Download the election form...

New alcohol and pregnancy resource for health professionals
A new online resource has been launched to assist the many New Zealand healthcare professionals who say they don’t feel adequately trained to discuss alcohol use with their pregnant patients. Alcohol Healthwatch and the University of Otago, Wellington, have developed the Pregnancy and Alcohol Cessation Toolkit (PACT), an online resource to help health professionals use Ministry of Health guidelines when educating pregnant women about alcohol use.

The PACT provides evidence on the effects of alcohol during pregnancy, and provides examples of how to effectively use that evidence in everyday practice. Studies show up to 30 percent of New Zealand women drink during pregnancy and 50 percent still believe drinking some alcohol during pregnancy is safe. The PACT is freely available at www.akoaotearoa.ac.nz/projects/pact.

Health Improvement and Innovation Resource Centre
The HIIRC was established by the Ministry of Health as a one-stop shop of trusted health information. Its aim is to help improve the health and wellbeing of New Zealanders by sharing examples of health innovation and quality improvement and by making New Zealand research more available to people working in health. The website includes an extensive knowledge library, directories of individuals and organisations and the latest news about health events and projects. Visit the HIIRC website...

Chair’s report from the World Medical Association
NZMA Chair Dr Paul Ockelford attended the World Medical Association in mid-October, in Montevideo, Uruguay, with NZMA CEO Lesley Clarke. A preliminary meeting was held to deal with the urgent issue of the indictments against the doctors in Bahrain caring for prodemocracy demonstrators. Relevant press releases and a letter to the King of Bahrain were agreed. There was discussion about proposed statements on issues such as organ and tissue donation; and a report on the ethics of placebos in clinical trials (focusing on treatment of infectious diseases in third world countries). Oral reports from the Workgroup on Capital Punishment (preparing a white paper) and another on Human Rights were received. Read more...

Information for transitioning patients to dabigatran (Pradaxa)
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Sir Michael Marmot visit and symposia
The New Zealand Medical Association, in conjunction with the University of Otago, Wellington held symposia surrounding the visit of Prof Sir Michael Marmot, a world-renowned researcher and advocate on inequities in health. For more information about Sir Michael Marmot's visit read more...

Social media guide from NZMA, AMA, NZMSA and AMSA
The professional standards of doctors and medical students - which are based on the expectations of the community and medical peers - form the cornerstone of quality patient care. They are taught and assessed from the first year of medical school, and are continually re-emphasised throughout medical training and practice. View the video clip on the social media guide here. Read more...

Analysis of the New Zealand general practitioner workforce
During recent years the NZMA has vigirously lobbied Government and the Ministry of Health on changing health needs, workforce ageing and changing population demographics relevant to workforce planning. Our primary position has been that a healthy and sustainable general practitioner workforce is a critical component of a strong, effective and productive health system. Read more...

Briefing paper to incoming Minister of Health Hon Tony Ryall - 2008
The New Zealand Medical Association (NZMA) is the largest medical professional organisation in New Zealand with approximately 4500 members. It is pan-professional in that it represents member doctors from all disciplines within medicine, including medical students. Read more...

Cremation amendment regulations and amendments to the Burial and Cremations Act 1964
As a result of the Coroners Act 2006, conseqentual amendments to the Cremation Regulations 1973 and the Burial and Cremation Act 1064 (both administered in the Ministry of Health) came in to force on 25 January 2009. Read more...