Clinical Matters Newsletter - April 2022 29 Apr 2022

Welcome to the April 2022 Edition of Clinical Matters!

In this issue....

Peke Waihanga - the new Supplier for Orthotic Services for BOP DHB	Grand Round Update
Reporting deaths of COVID-19 Infected Patients: new eReferral Available	Midland HealthPathways Update
Rheumatology Service BOP DHB

Peke Waihanga - the new Supplier for Orthotic Services for BOP DHB

Peke Waihanga is excited to become the new supplier for Orthotic Services for Bay of Plenty DHB at the new service location of 745 Cameron Road, Tauranga South. This change came into effect on Friday 1st April, 2022.

Bay of Plenty will be the third Orthotic Service region for Peke Waihanga, with the first being hte Waikato region in 2018, and the Auckland, Waitematā and Counties Manukau DHBs joint personal health orthotic service in 2021. Health service providers can refer patients to the Peke Waihanga Orthotic Service via the Orthotic BPAC referral.

Peke Waihanga is a specialist healthcare provider that manufactures high technology medical devices, mainly prosthetics and orthotics, for individual patients with an integrated rehabilitation, coordination of care, and peer support services.

Our orthotic service provides clinical input and brace, splint or other artificial external devices to support the limbs or spine or to prevent or assist relative movement and prevent deterioration of health and/or disability conditions.

Our prosthetic services are provided through six city-based centres that run regional clinics in other areas of hte country, and our orthotic service is run through three service locations across the North Island.

How to contact Bay of Plenty Orthotic Service:
Address: 745 Cameron Road, Tauranga South, Tauranga
Phone: 0508 26 76 78
Enquiries: boporthoenquiries@pw.co.nz
Referrals: boporthoenquiries@pw.co.nz

Reporting Deaths of COVID-19 Infected Patients: new eReferral Available

COVID-19 is a notifiable disease.

Section 74 (3) of the Health Act 1956 states: "Every health practitioner who by post-mortem examination or otherwise becomes aware that any deceased person was affected with a notifiable disease shall forthwith give notice in the prescribed form to the medical officer of health"

To simplify this process, a new BPAC eReferral form has been created: BOPDHB - Public, Public Health, COVID-19 - Related Deaths. It can be used to notify the medical officer of health where a person who has died within 28 days of being reported as a COVID-19 case.

Cases require notification where the official cause of death has been coded as one of the following:

COVID-19 was the underlying cause of death (irrespective of when the death occurred).
COVID-19 contributed to their death (irrespective of when the death occurred).
Still under investigation (only if the person died within 28 days of being reported as a case).
Has been ruled as not due to COVID-19 (only if the person died within 28 days of being reported as a case)

The information required is listed on the front page of the referral form.
Please contact baynav@bopdhb.govt.nz with any queries.

Rheumatology Service BOP DHB

Dear Primary Care Colleagues,

As you may be aware, unfortunately Dr Tim Sole and Dr May Soh have retired/moved out of the region.

We have secured the services of the Waikato DHB Rheumatology specialist team to provide clinical support and advice for the Bay of Plenty patients affected by rheumatological symptoms or diseases.

For patients known to our service:

For non-urgent matters please email: rheumatologynurses@bopdhb.govt.nz and one of our specialist nurses will follow-up
For urgent clinical advice please call Waikato Hospital and ask for on call Rheumatologists

For clinical advice for patients not known to our service (or not yet seen by our service):

Please call Waikato hospital and ask for the on call Rheumatologist

The Waikato Rheumatologists are available out of hours.

We have recruited two new Rheumatology consultants who arrive from Europe and start work at the beginning of July and August respectively. We also have a locum Consultant (Dr Armingeat) providing some locum clinics in the interim.

Many thanks for your understanding at this time.

Dr Alex Lampen-Smith
Gastroenterologist & Hepatologist
Clinical Lead National Bowel Screening Programme
Medical Leader Medical Services
Bay of Plenty District Health Board

Grand Round Update

Face to face Grand Rounds are starting again in the Tauranga Hospital Conference Centre from Tuesday 3rd of May.

Going forward, the aim is for these to move back to a more clinical/teaching basis, which will follow on from a brief organisational/COVID update at the beginning of each session. The zoom option will still be included and we are working with the Clinical School to see how we can improve this in conjunction with using the Conference Centre.

If you still wish to attend Grand Round via zoom, please contact Cathy.Anderson@bopdhb.govt.nz to subscribe to the mailing distribution list.

Midland HealthPathways Update

New pathways for GPs on HealthPathways

The following pathways are now live on our HealthPathways site for you to use:

And remember there is up-to-date information on all matters Covid-19 for primary care on Health Pathways, including national as well as local information.

HealthPathways is a collection of management guidelines specifically tailored to primary care. Our GP Liaison team is in the process of 'localising' these pathways to the Bay of Plenty, i.e, making them relevant to GPs and other primary care providers specifically in the Bay of Plenty. You'll find valuable pointers on history, examination, treatment and of course when and how to refer patients on to other services. These pathways will, over time, be replacing the Bay Navigator pathways.