What is in this Issue?
PRIMARY CARE CLINICAL DIGEST
MARCH 31 2023
1. Immunisation Update March 30 2023
2. More Participants Needed for Primary Health Care Prioritisation Research
3. Irish Examiner Article on GP Services from October – Spookily Similar to Aotearoa!
4. Update for Pharmacists in General Practice week ending March 24 2023
5. Top Weekend Viewing Immunisation Update March 30 2023
See attached document and embedded attachments
• Attached is an Immunisation update from Te Whatu Ora, this issue covers:
o Flu immunisation programme update
o Additional Covid-19 booster from April 1
o Pertussis update
o Meningococcal mailing to board schools and university halls of residence
o National Immunisations Directory is now live
o Book My Vaccine webinar series reminder
o Where to get more information
• Also embedded in the attachment are two documents on Key Messages Covid-19 booster eligibility expansion and Key Messages
2023 Flu Immunisation Programme – April
More Participants Needed for Primary Health Care Prioritisation Research
• Otago University is looking for participants for its Primary Health Care (PHC) Prioritisation Research.
• Please see the link to the information sheet for participants Information sheet of research prioritisation project
• Follow this link to the survey Take the Survey
• Or copy and paste this url into your internet browser for more information and consent to participate
https://otago.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dp5Z0jD0jVu1WAu?Q_ CHL=email
• Any concerns, please contact Dr Jing-Ru Li Jingru.li@otago.ac.nz or Dr Sharon Leitch (project PI) sharon.leitch@otago.ac.nz
Irish Examiner Article on GP Services from October – Spookily Similar to Aotearoa!
Update for Pharmacists in General Practice week ending March 24 2023
See full notice attached for wider information
• Please see the link to an article in the Irish Examiner on ‘Patients face entirely new model of GP care post-Covid-19: but where are all the GPs? Makes an interesting read
https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/spotlight/arid-40716254.html
• Cyclone Gabrielle: Please see important updates for those affected by Cyclone Gabrielle.
• See here for information on Te Whatu Ora funding primary healthcare delivery in affected regions.
• Widened access to funded flu vaccine from April 1 2023 Pharmac website
• Supply Issue: There has been an increase in the number of medicines supply issues. In most cases, Covid-19 has been the cause of this impact on medicine supply chains. Covid-19 is likely to continue to
Top Weekend Viewing
have global impacts on medicine manufacturing and supply chains for some time to come. Up-to-date information can be found on the Pharmac website
o Buspirone hydrochloride (Buspirone Valtris) Tab 5 mg Pharmac website
o Capsaicin (Zostrix and Zostrix HP) Pharmac website
o Empagliflozin with metformin (Jardiamet) tab 12.5 mg with 1000 mg metformin Pharmac website
o Oestradiol (Estradot) patches 25 mcg and 50 mcg Pharmac website
o Calcium carbonate oral liq 250 mg per ml Pharmac website
• Liraglutide (Victorza) listed from March 1 2023 global supply issue
o Resources for prescribers Initiating treatment with dulaglutide or liraglutide - He Ako Hiringa / Initiating treatment: Algorithms, notes and talking points [PDF] - He Ako Hiringa
• Supply Updates:
o Entecavir 0.5 mg tablets Entecavir Mylan will be available until June 2023 when Entecavir Sandoz is resupplied.
o Calcium folinate solution for injection Two alternative products are now available - Calcium folinate (Leucovorin DBL) inj 300 mg and Calcium folinate (Leucovorin Pharmacia) inj 50 mg.
o Salbutamol inhaler (Respigen) Resupply date updated to April 2023.
o Oestradiol (Estradot) patches Availability of oestradiol patches as at 1 March 2023.
• Discontinuation:
o Gluten free pasta Pharmac website
• COVID-19 Information for Prescribers:
o Pharmac website – COVID-19 oral antivirals: Access Criteria
o Aotearoa's COVID-19 treatment portfolio
o Access Criteria Assessment Tool
o More information on Covid-19 here
• We’re going for some escapism this weekend with some of the best superhero movies from the Marvel Comic franchise:
o Luther: The Fallen Sun (Neflix) – gripping movie with the indomitable John Luther aka Idris Elba. Andy Serkis – the villain –aka Gollum makes a chillingly good psychopath!
o The Night Agent (Netflix) – drama series about a deadly conspiracy involving a mole at the White House
o Yellowjackets (Neon) – A talented girls soccer team survives a plane crash and this series chronicles their descent from a thriving group to something more sinsister – but you’ll have to watch it to find out. Stars our very own Melanie Lynskey and Simone Kessell (season 2)