PMAANZ Newsletter
A word from our Secretary | Carol Neki
Celebrating Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 2024: Ake Ake Ake - A Forever Language
Ngā mihi nui kia koutou katoa,
As we approach Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 2024, we are excited and proud to celebrate the resilience and beauty of te reo Māori. This year’s theme, “Ake Ake Ake - A Forever Language,” highlights the enduring strength and adaptability of our treasured language.
Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, taking place from September 14th to 21st, is a time for all New Zealanders to come together and honour the rich heritage of te reo Māori. The theme “Ake Ake Ake” signifies the everlasting nature of the language, emphasising its ability to thrive despite challenges and its importance for future generations.
Join us in celebrating this special week by embracing te reo Māori in your daily life. Whether it’s through greetings, conversations, or learning new phrases, every effort contributes to the preservation and growth of our forever language.
Let’s make Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 2024 a memorable celebration of our shared commitment to te reo Māori—Ake Ake Ake!
Countdown to the PMAANZ Conference!
With just two weeks to go, we hope you’re all set for an enriching experience. In this edition, you’ll find:
- Chair’s Update: Mary shares insights from her busy months of advocacy and meetings on behalf of our members.
- Executive Team News: Stay updated with our executive team’s latest activities and insights.
- Branch Spotlight: Wendy from the Wellington branch gives us a glimpse into their recent endeavours.
- Staff Wellness Tips: Jess from Collaborative Aotearoa offers valuable advice on caring for our staff during the winter season.
- Exciting Opportunity: Learn about the Te Ao Māori for Professionals course and how to sign up.
We look forward to seeing you at the conference!
Ngā mihi
Carol Neki | PMAANZ Executive National Secretary
A word from our Chair | Mary Morrissey
Kia ora koutou katoa
Greetings PMAANZ Members,
We’ve had quite an eventful few months! Between the usual winter illnesses and the Annual Statement for reasonable GP fee increases, it’s been a stressful and busy time for us all. Balancing the need to raise fees to stay sustainable without reducing access and increasing debt has been challenging. I’ve received interesting feedback from practices on how their patients have responded to the increased fees, and some PHOs have suggested writing letters to local MPs and Minister Reti. It will be interesting to see if this plan will yield any results.
In July, we showcased PMAANZ with an exhibition booth at the GP24, 50th Anniversary RNZCGP Conference in Takina, Wellington. While the response from GPs was initially a bit slow, those who visited us received a glowing report on their managers and admin staff, highlighting their invaluable contributions to their practices. We inquired if they were members and if they planned to attend our conference. The feedback was very encouraging, with GPs praising their own staff. It was a fantastic networking opportunity, and it allowed Jen and I to engage with some of the exhibitors who will be joining us at our conference.
Here are some meetings I have attended in the last couple of months, showcasing our organization’s esteemed reputation and influence with a place at these influential tables.
· GPNZ—General Practice New Zealand
· GPLF - General Practice Leaders Forum
· Primary Care Sector Engagement Group
· Collaborative Aotearoa - monthly catchup
· Capitation Re-weighting: Technical Advisory Group
On a positive note, we are eagerly counting down the days to PMAANZ24 at the Cordis in Auckland. This will be a wonderful opportunity for us all to gather, network, and enhance our knowledge. I hope to see you there!
For now, that’s all from me. Please take care, reach out, and make the most of the wonderful network that is our membership via email, Facebook, Messenger, LinkedIn or Instagram.
Mary Morrissey | PMAANZ Chair
Welcome to our new members!
June new members:
- Lisa Rhodes - Otago
- Katie Baldwin - Nelson/Marlborough
- Majella Blackwood - Waikato
- Delwyn Woolley - Waikato
- Katie Fitzgerald - Waikato
- Kevine Partington - Waikato
- Catherine Heathcote - Waikato
- Donna Parkinson - Auckland
- Barbara Duder - Auckland
- Sheemal Shivani - Auckland
- Maryke Bosman - Auckland
- Morgan Theologidis - Auckland
July new members:
- Carolyn Colmer - Auckland
- Rowan Skinner - Wellington
- Danielle Newth - Wellington
- Raewynne Hayward - Waikato
- Kathryn Smith - Auckland
- Gail Lambess - Wellington
- Michelle Herbert - Waikato
- Christine Wilkins - Auckland
- Sandra Pirini - Auckland
- Samantha Matiaha - Wellington
- Diane Swadel - Nelson/Marlborough
- Caroline Taylor - Auckland
- Debbie Burgess - Auckland
- Terry-Lee Tawera - Waikato
- Maisie Hall - Wellington
- Joanne Whittingham - Canterbury
- Frances Hays - Waikato
- Shana Hennies - National
August new members:
- Katie Voller - Wellington
- Sarah Penberthy - Auckland
- Elizabeth Job - Auckland
- Helen Peake - Waikato
- Gemma Britton - Waikato
- Pamela Leighton - Waikato
- Nicola Law - Waikato
- Stacey Bax - Waikato
- Tasha O'Shea - Waikato
- Nomes Lorimer - Auckland
- Joleen Erasmus - Waikato
- Corne Benson - Waikato
- Yolande Kok - Waikato
- Wendy Tomkinson - Canterbury
- Lisa Jane Tamatea - Waikato
MAS Healthy Practice | Annual Leave Quandries
Annual leave quandaries
The MAS Business Advisory team clarifies the employer and employee’s rights and responsibilities around leave requests.
What are the rules?
Employees are legally entitled under the Holidays Act 2003, to four weeks annual leave after 12 months continuous employment. This is four weeks of their normal working week. Many employers allow employees to use leave as it accrues during the year, rather than making employees wait until they have accrued enough leave to cover their time away from work.
Some employment agreements have more generous entitlements so you may need to check the terms for each employee. Under the Primary Health Care MECA, entitlements increase after six years of continuous employment.
Annual leave should be taken by mutual agreement between the employer and the employee, and you are entitled to consider the needs of the business before granting leave. You are not allowed to unreasonably deny leave requests but there will be times when there are good reasons why you need to turn down a request.
There is no entitlement to leave without pay (this doesn’t apply to sick leave without pay), and you have no obligation to grant these leave requests. As with annual leave you would take the needs of the business into account when making decisions, what has happened historically, and you would need to be consistent in your decisions. You should consider these requests on a case-by-case basis and in good faith.
To make sure you and your staff are clear about your rights and responsibilities, it’s essential to have a formal leave policy for your practice. This will set out what everyone can expect. For example, what the process is for requesting leave, when leave requests might be turned down, and whether employees are allowed to take leave in advance of it being accrued.
What goes into a good leave policy?
Leave requests should be made in writing and staff should know they need to wait for their leave to be approved before they book holidays. Many practices now use an online leave programme that is part of their payroll system. This also allows fair allocation of leave, particularly around Christmas and Easter.
If you’re willing to let your staff use their leave before it has fully accrued, you need to be prepared for situations where an employee resigns after having taken leave in advance. In these situations, it’s a good idea to discuss this with your staff and get their written agreement for the practice to recoup the cost of any leave taken in advance before granting the leave.
Employees have no legal entitlement to leave without pay, and you may decide to specifically exclude this form of leave in your leave policy, unless there are extraordinary circumstances.
Under the Holidays Act you are required to keep accurate leave records, and these should be available to your employees.
Fiona Mines | HealthyPractice Adviser, MAS
Our HealthyPractice team is happy to answer any questions you have on practice management issues. Email your questions to business@mas.co.nz.
This article is of a general nature and is not a substitute for professional and individually tailored business or legal advice. © Medical Assurance Society New Zealand Limited 2024.
Treasurer Update | Wendy Harris
Thank you to everyone who completed the PMAANZ Biennial Survey. I am pleased to report that this year resulted in the largest number of responses, so I thank you for taking time out of your busy days to complete it. I see there has been chat on the PMAANZ Facebook page around wages and salaries so hopefully the survey report will give you some insight into current market rates for similar roles and help you to negotiate appropriate remuneration packages. The data is currently being analysed and collated and we hope to bring the results to you around the time of the 2024 Conference.
It has been a busy couple of months for me putting a budget together for PMAANZ to ensure it is financially sustainable and that your membership fees are being spent wisely and in ways that benefit you and add value. Carole Unkovich has been working tirelessly with the accountants to ensure our 2023/2024 Financial Reports are ready for me to present to you at the AGM which will be held at the Conference.
I am acutely aware of the financial difficulties that are present in many practices as we continue to grapple with underfunding from the government. I am sure that this is the topic of conversation in many management meetings. Facing financial challenges often reveals the strength and resilience of a team and can be an opportunity to be innovative and find creative solutions that can lead to long-term success. I encourage you to utilize your team’s problem-solving skills and creative juices to find efficiencies, opportunities and maybe one or two “out there” ideas.
Have a fabulous week and keep smiling.
Wendy Harris | PMAANZ Treasurer
Conference Update | Jen Kaponga
Click the image to watch Jen's latest video update about conference!
Education Update | Niomi Fleming
I’m excited to see you all at the Cordis in Auckland in a couple of weeks. We’ve lined up a fantastic roster of speakers and eagerly anticipate the valuable networking opportunities the conference provides.
We had a great turnout for the recent Q&A session. It was wonderful to discuss with members what education topics you’d like to see in the future. Based on your feedback, we will offer virtual attendance options to accommodate those in rural areas.
Here are some of the key topics we’ll be covering in our sessions:
- Debt Collection and Financial Management: How to shift attitudes towards debt collection post-COVID and implement processes to help practices recover debts.
- Financial Reporting: What’s crucial to include in reports versus what may be additional work for Practice Managers?
- Trespass Notices and De-escalation Tactics: We’ll discuss best practices for handling these issues, especially in rural areas with limited options. We’ll also discuss how health and safety considerations come into play and how to manage these issues in conjunction with substance abuse.
- Managing Difficult Situations: Approaches to handling staff performance challenges.
Additionally, there’s interest in reactivating KASF Papers Facebook groups for Bronze and Silver members to facilitate idea exchange and support outside of their Practice Managers/Directors.
Our guest for the session, Alana Segnit, briefly presented the courses UNEP offers for PMAANZ members, which can serve as a valuable next step beyond the PMAANZ KASF Papers.
We will start working on getting speakers for these sessions and booking them on the calendar, so please keep an eye out!
Here is a recipe for a one-minute cookie in a cup that is so easy to make that it should be banned. Pop a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. I will not accept liability for weight gain or diabetes!
https://www.thecomfortofcooking.com/2013/05/1-minute-chocolate-chip-cookie-in-a-mug.html
I am looking forward to seeing you soon!Niomi Fleming | PMAANZ Education
Membership Update | Karen Greer
We have had an amazing winter here in the Rangitikei. I know some other regions have had a fair bit of bad weather. Our thoughts are with you.
Our Membership has increased. We wish you well for the future practice Managers who have had to relinquish their memberships.
Members who have not accessed our website for a while may receive an email or phone call from me. I am just wondering if you need any help accessing the site.
Did you know that our website offers a convenient way to save your CPD points? It’s a simple and efficient process that can help you keep track of your professional development.
This is an excellent way of keeping your education sessions in one place. It is amazing how much education we do and don’t really record. Don’t hesitate to contact me if you need help.
Speaking of education sessions, don’t forget to sign up for our Education KASF papers or with UNE Partnership.
Remember that we have great articles from NZ Doctor, along with amazing articles from other sources and our newsletter. We are really a one-stop shop.
If you haven’t already signed up for our PMAANZ General chat, please do. This is not just a platform for information on PMS updates and general chats about employment. It’s a vibrant community where you can share and receive helpful hints from like-minded colleagues. Join us and be part of this supportive network.
Well, that’s all from me for now. Remember, I’m always here to help. Don’t hesitate to contact me about anything.
Karen Greer | PMAANZ Membership
Branch Update | Wellington Branch
Like everyone, for many Wellington managers, it is a time of “heads down, derrieres in the air” as we cope with the winter busyness, staff illnesses, underfunding, cost pressures, annual places for the PHO, accreditations, etc etc etc. Sometimes, it is hard to feel the love for the role that we do, with so many demands on our time in addition to BAU, but what keeps me afloat is the support of colleagues and the knowledge that we are there for each other.
10 Wellington members caught up for a mid-winter dinner on Thurs 25th July 2024 at The Supply Room in Mana. It was a great evening of collegiality and wisdom sharing. We had a brand-new member join us (Welcome, Maisie!). To get the conversation flowing (not that this is usually an issue :) we randomly drew out a topic to share our best bit of advice about – communication, time management, people management, debt control, making the most of a PMAANZ conference, profitability/cost cutting, etc). Thank you to all who participated and candidly shared the lessons they have learned in these areas.
We now look ahead to the annual conference in Sept and hope to see a good number of Wellington members there.
Wellington members, if anyone would like to host a meeting in October or November, please let me know, and we can send an invitation to members.
Wellington Branch Chair / Co-ordinator: Wendy Slight
NZ Doctor Read / Newsletters and Publications
We are always adding to the page of NZ Doctor articles, click the link.
We also have publications that might be of interest to you, click the link.
To read our Partner newsletters which might be of interest, click the link.
Collaborative Aotearoa
As we leave the depths of winter (hello, Spring!), now is a good time to reflect on the last three months and how winter sickness has affected your general practice teams.
Many practices faced a rollercoaster of sickness this winter, but we’ve also heard stories of creative approaches to managing staff during the tougher months. Winter brings unique risks to the workplace—whether it’s an increase in injuries from slips and falls on wet or frosty surfaces, a rise in respiratory illnesses or the challenges of caring for unwell whānau members.
Reflecting on winter, we can see that a well-prepared workplace helps protect both people and profits, minimising the strain on valuable human resources. Moreover, when staff feel supported, their morale remains higher leading to a happier, healthier, and more engaged team.
Here are a few ideas to consider as you reflect on the winter just passed:
Gather team feedback: Ask your team for insights into how they found the winter season, particularly regarding injuries, illness, energy, and overall morale. Consider creating a simple Microsoft Form and displaying the QR code in the staff room for easy access.
Audit near-miss and incident reports: Reviewing these reports from the last four months could reveal key areas to focus on for next year. Are there any patterns highlighting where further assessment and hazard identification are needed? How effective were your incident mitigation strategies?
Prioritise health and safety: Take stock of cleaning standards and work surfaces to minimise the spread of viruses. Ensure your air conditioning and HEPA filters are in good condition—schedule any necessary maintenance. Remote working options, where feasible, can also reduce exposure to illness.
Boost workplace wellbeing: Think back to moments that lifted team morale, even in small ways. These moments can serve as inspiration for future efforts:
- Encourage movement during the day, such as lunchtime walks or quick YouTube workouts, to boost mood with endorphins. The team at Collaborative Aotearoa has been doing 30-minute YouTube Pilates every Wednesday.
- Encourage staff to get outside for fresh air and natural sunlight.
- Consider weekly feel-good gestures like sharing a pot of soup, bringing in fresh flowers, or posting uplifting compliments from free resources like the All Right website.
- Aromatherapy diffusers with tea tree oil, peppermint, or cinnamon might bring a touch of comfort to the workplace.
- Notice and appreciate small beauties—a frost-covered bloom, a kind greeting, or a moment of warmth amidst the winter chill.
Foster connection: Encourage staff to reach out to each other during tough times—a simple chat over a cup of tea might be just what the doctor ordered.
Offer flexibility: Look for ways to provide extra downtime or flexibility. Could you stagger home times to offer staff an extra hour one afternoon per week? Or adjust schedules to better support those dealing with mental health challenges?
Lead by example: Leadership plays a vital role in setting the tone for the team. When leaders model healthy, supportive behaviours, it encourages the entire practice to do the same.
By reflecting on the past winter, we can learn valuable lessons and implement strategies that support staff wellbeing all year round. Here’s to a thriving Spring and a healthier, happier winter ahead!
A huge thank you to you all for the work you do from Collaborative Aotearoa. If you haven’t already and would like to sign up for our monthly pānui you can do my clicking here.
We look forward to seeing many of you at the PMAANZ conference in a couple of weeks.
Ngā Manaakitanga,
Team, Collaborative Aotearoa
Become a Member!
If you would like to become a member of PMAANZ, you can complete our online application form. Sign up here!
PMAANZ Administrator
PO Box 92 004
Faringdon
Rolleston 7650>