The principal scientific journal for the profession in New Zealand

Jeremy Wild, Andrea Cross, Peter Davidson, Chris Frampton

Outcomes following open radical cystectomy: an 11-year Christchurch experience

Radical cystectomy (RC) remains a primary approach to treating muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) as well as recurrent high-grade non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).

Wayne de Beer, Helen Clark

Four years of prevocational Community Based Attachments in New Zealand: a review

The New Zealand Curriculum Framework for Prevocational Medical Training (NZCF) 2014 outlines the intern training programme that involves two years of training following graduation from medical school.

Dong Hyun Kim, Rochelle Moss, Claire Gooder, Grace Lee, Heidi Watson, Tristan Pettit

Health professionals’ self-identified knowledge, barriers and educational needs regarding identification and management of adolescent and young adult cancer in New Zealand

New Zealand’s adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer population represents those diagnosed between 12 and 24 years of age. Due to their different age-related medical and psychosocial healthcare needs, AYAs are a specialised cohort compared with paediatric or adult cancer patients.

Lynsey Earl, Fang Fang, Ron Janes, Kristene Gedye, Nigel French, Julie Collins-Emerson, Jackie Benschop

An evaluation of diagnostic tests in a case series of suspected leptospirosis patients seen in primary care

New Zealand has one of the highest incidences of leptospirosis among countries with a temperate climate.

Beth Messenger, Amy Beliveau, Mike Clark, Caroline Fyfe, Alison Green

How has contraceptive provision at Family Planning clinics in Aotearoa New Zealand changed between 2009, 2014 and 2019: a cross-sectional analysis | OPEN ACCESS

Advances in contraception are recognised as one of the great public health achievements of the twentieth century.

Claire Dillon, Georgina Lynch, John Dean, Caralyn Purvis, Lutz Beckert

Impact of pharmacist involvement on medication safety in interprofessional transfer of care activity

Up to 97% of patients have medication transcription errors on admission to hospital, and almost 80% of patients will have at least one discrepancy on discharge.

Daniel A R Scott, Peter W Hadden, Graham A Wilson

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on public sector ophthalmic work by New Zealand’s ophthalmologists | OPEN ACCESS

The virus SARS-CoV-2 (the cause of COVID-19) began circulating in Wuhan, China, in November 2019. It subsequently spread across the world, becoming a global pandemic.

Simon Lambracos, Lance Yuan, Andrew Kennedy-Smith

COVID-19 and the impact on urology service provision at Capital & Coast District Health Board | OPEN ACCESS

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted on societies and health systems across the world. Governmental responses to the crisis and the direct effects of the disease have been expressed differently across countries.

Vanessa Selak, Sue Crengle, Matire Harwood, Samantha Murton, Peter Crampton

Emergency COVID-19 funding to general practices in early 2020: lessons for future allocation to support equity | OPEN ACCESS

General practitioners (GPs) operate out of general practices, most of which are privately owned and funded by a combination of patient fees and government subsidies.

Geraldine Wilson, Olivia Currie, Susan Bidwell, Baraah Saeed, Anthony Dowell, Andrew Adiguna Halim, Les Toop, Ann Richardson, Ruth Savage, Ben Hudson

Empty waiting rooms: the New Zealand general practice experience with telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic | OPEN ACCESS

The primary care response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in early 2020 required significant changes by general practices throughout New Zealand.

Suzanne Pitama, Cameron Lacey, Tania Huria, Janak de Zoysa, David McBride, Roger Mulder, Kiki Maoate, Mark Weatherall, Frank Frizelle.

Mānawatia a Matariki!

When Matariki, a star cluster, rises in Aotearoa’s north-eastern skies, it marks the start of the Māori new year. With an end of one year and the birth of another comes a time to reflect on the past and plan together for the future.

Nick Wilson, Jennifer A Summers, Leah Grout, Michael G Baker

Bumper issue of COVID-19 pandemic studies of relevance to Aotearoa New Zealand | OPEN ACCESS

This issue of the New Zealand Medical Journal has 14 new pandemic-related articles. Some of this work can help inform vaccination prioritisation decisions and inform preparations of primary and secondary care services and social services for any future raising of levels in the pandemic Alert Level system.

Vol 134 No 1537: 25 June 2021

Improving care, reducing the burden

Wayne Miles

The conclusion from a meta-analysis of studies of the economic burden of schizophrenia was that the enormous burden is suggestive of the inadequate provision of healthcare services to patients with schizophrenia.

Vol 134 No 1536: 4 June 2021

“We have been warned”—preparing now to prevent the next pandemic | OPEN ACCESS

David R Murdoch, Sue Crengle, Bob Frame, Nigel P French, Patricia C Priest

‘COVID-19: Make it the Last Pandemic’ is the aspirational title of the recently released report by the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response.

Karen Bartholomew, Beverley Lawton, Susan M Sherman, Collette Bromhead, Jane Grant, Georgina McPherson, Anna Maxwell, Marion Saville, Sue Crengle, Nina Scott

Recommendations for implementing HPV self-testing in Aotearoa

In Budget 2021 published earlier this month, the Government made the welcome and long-awaited announcement that they will invest “up to $53 million to complete the design of and implement a new human papillomavirus (HPV) test” in 2023.

Structural reform or a cultural reform? Moving the health and disability sector to be pro-equity, culturally safe, Tiriti compliant and anti-racist

Papaarangi Reid

Forty years ago, in 1980, Professor Eru Pōmare published the first volume in the series Hauora – Māori Standards of Health.

Vol 134 No 1534: 30 April 2021

Parental use of physical punishment in a birth cohort

Geraldine FH McLeod, John Horwood, Joseph M Boden, Lianne J Woodward

New Zealand has very high rates of child maltreatment compared to other developed countries.

Tyson A Oberndorfer, Ricardo Jurawan

Frailty should be assessed in older patients considered for colonoscopy

The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends an upper age limit of 75 for asymptomatic colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, primarily because of the likely benefit of early detection in a patient population with limited life expectancy.

Gary N McAuliffe, Timothy K Blackmore

COVID-19 serology: use and interpretation in New Zealand | OPEN ACCESS

Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT), such as reverse transcriptase PCR or transcription- mediated amplification, are the most widely used tests in New Zealand for the diagnosis of acute COVID-19 infections.

Francesc March de Ribot, Anna March de Ribot, Kelechi Ogbuehi, Ruth Large

Teleophthalmology in the post-coronavirus era | OPEN ACCESS

Offering excellent quality care to the population via our public healthcare system is one of our national priorities. To seek consultation from an ophthalmologist, patients usually make an appointment with an optometrist (or a general practitioner (GP)) before being referred.

Matthew J Cowie, Cicely V M Barron, Anna G Bergin, Noella N Farrell, India G Hansen

How were medical students from Christchurch, New Zealand, involved in their COVID-19 response? | OPEN ACCESS

Early in the academic year of 2020, our cohort of medical students at the University of Otago in Christchurch received a lecture on the developing COVID-19 pandemic.

Helen Lockett, Ashley Koning, Cameron Lacey, Susanna Every-Palmer, Kate M Scott, Ruth Cunningham, Tony Dowell, Linda Smith, Alison Masters, Arran Culver, Stephen Chambers

Addressing structural discrimination: prioritising people with mental health and addiction issues during the COVID-19 pandemic | OPEN ACCESS

The recognition of mental health and addiction issues as pre-existing health conditions that place people at higher risk of serious outcomes or illness in the Ministry of Health’s vaccine rollout plan (ie, Group 3) is critical to prevent further physical health inequities for people with mental health and addiction issues.

Vol 134 No 1537: 25 June 2021

Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill: should doctors be concerned?

Guna Kanniah, Shailesh Kumar

Cannabis is the most commonly used illegal drug in New Zealand, even though the unauthorised possession of any amount of cannabis is a crime under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975.

Vol 134 No 1536: 4 June 2021

Participant injury in clinical trials conducted in New Zealand for the benefit of manufacturers: an unfair system?

Mark Bolland

In New Zealand, participants in clinical trials that are deemed as being conducted for the benefit of the manufacturer are not eligible for Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) coverage if they suffer an injury from participating in the trial.

Vol 134 No 1537: 25 June 2021

The competition is next door! Why a voluntary approach to tobacco retailer reduction will never work

Richard Portch

In 2011, Te Kāwanatanga o Aotearoa (The New Zealand Government) set the goal to become smokefree by 2025 and have less than 5% of the population smoking daily.

Vol 134 No 1536: 4 June 2021

Letter on an iceberg | OPEN ACCESS

Cheri Hotu, Sandra Hotu, Dawn Adair, Danny De Lore, Clarence Kerrison, George Laking, Myra Ruka, Kennedy Sarich, Jade Tamatea, Tane Taylor, Matthew Wheeler

We write as the Māori Health Committee of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP), a collective of Māori physician and paediatrician Fellows and trainees.

Janet Hoek, Ivana Barbalich, Richard Edwards, Coral Gartner

A qualitative analysis of how people who smoke and manage lower incomes perceive the Smokefree 2025 goal

A decade has passed since the then National-led government accepted the Māori Affairs Select Committee (MASC) Inquiry recommendation that New Zealand set a “longer-term goal of reducing smoking prevalence and tobacco availability to minimal levels, thereby [becoming] essentially a smokefree nation by 2025.”

Julie Bennett, Anneka Anderson, Malakai ‘Ofanoa, Philippa Anderson, Michael G Baker, Rachel Brown, Gerry Devlin, Kyle Eggleton, Matire Harwood, Raweri McKree Jansen, Donna Kielar, John Malcolm, Nicole J Moreland, Neil Poskitt, Dianne Sika-Paotonu, Rachel Webb, Nigel Wilson

Acute rheumatic fever—a preventable, inequitable disease: a call for action

Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is a preventable autoimmune response to group A Streptococcus (GAS) infection.

Manatu ki waaheke in nursing education: a legend for an example

Sandra McDonald

As described by Selak et al, systemic racism exists in New Zealand healthcare.

It's time to end racism in our profession: an open letter to the New Zealand medical community

Wil Harrison

This is an open letter to all medical professionals in Aotearoa/New Zealand in response to a recently publicised incident at a medical conference held in late 2020, where racist and offensive remarks were made about Māori to an audience of medical professionals and an invited Māori delegate.

Vol 134 No 1534: 30 April 2021

Letter to the editor: response to Katherine Rich

Jennie Connor‍

The purpose of my recent editorial was to inform New Zealand Medical Journal readers about the conclusion of the recent Whale Oil defamation case and its connection to some broader issues for the health of New Zealanders.

Vol 134 No 1532: 26 March 2021

Perfection: The life and times of Sir William Manchester

Saxon Connor

I recently spent a weekend in Martinborough and as many people do spent some time browsing the local bookshop.

Vol 133 No 1572: 18 December 2020

From Southland to Surgery: A Journey around Values

Richard Acland

Professor John Morton has not only written an intriguing catalogue of the Christchurch surgical scene in the latter part of the 20th century, but has also provided a well-considered philosophy for medical care.

Vol 133 No 1521: 4 September 2020

My Life in Public Health

In the time of Covid, some of the superheroes of the health sector are the public health physicians. This book outlines the active and varied personal and professional life of one New Zealand public health physician.

Vol 132 No 1489: 1 February 2019

Mind That Child; A Medical Memoir

This a book that recounts the experience of the Auckland Starship’s paediatrician Dr Simon Rowley over his professional lifetime.

Vol 132 No 1488: 18 January 2019

Fat Off; the Right Way A clever and sustainable eating guide for weight loss and healthy living

Paul Anderson is a New Zealander who trained in general surgery and works part-time in Australia and part-time in New Zealand.

Vol 132 No 1488: 18 January 2019

The Art of Recovery: six personal journeys

As an editor you receive books for review, which are sent to suitable people following an email agreement to review.

Vol 131 No 1477: 22 June 2018

The Older Traveller: A guide for the health professional