Consider blue-green algal blooms this summer: Identifying and managing suspected cyanotoxin poisoning in primary care

Cyanobacteria, also referred to as blue-green algae, are micro-organisms...

Case study: ten men addicted to Ayurvedic medicines (Kamini and Barshasha) presenting for opioid substitution treatment

We present a special edition “Case of the week” submitted by...

National report: Testing for prostate cancer in primary care

This report provides an overview of laboratory prostate-specific...

Referral of patients with features suggestive of bowel cancer: Ministry of Health guidance

Bowel cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer death...

Testing for prostate cancer: helping patients to decide

Testing for prostate cancer is a difficult issue as many prostate...

Carbon monoxide poisoning: a hidden danger

Carbon monoxide is an odourless, colourless and tasteless gas....

Emerging issues in the management of chlamydia and gonorrhoea

New evidence suggests that a seven-day course of doxycycline...

Mycoplasma genitalium: considerations for testing and treatment in primary care

Mycoplasma genitalium infection is a potential cause of urethritis...

Syphilis rates continue to rise

New Zealand is in the midst of a syphilis epidemic. Men who...

HPV vaccination: getting the programme back on track

Vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) infection provides...

Assessment and management of alcohol misuse by primary care

Recent evidence shows that levels of alcohol consumption that...

Hereditary diffuse gastric cancer: an overview for primary care

Hereditary diffuse gastric cancer makes up around 1% of stomach...

Smoke and mirrors: is vaping useful for smokers who cannot quit?

There are many approved and fully subsidised medicines that...

Antibiotics: the future is short

In general, the recommended durations of antibiotic treatment...

Access to HPV vaccine widened

The human papillomavirus virus (HPV) vaccine reduces the incidence...

Use the New Zealand Formulary to access patient information leaflets

Patient information leaflets (PILs) are now available from the...

Hazards to Health: e-notification to your Medical Officer of Health

An electronic notification system has been designed for general...

Travel consultation essentials: for departures and arrivals

Travel consultation essentials: for departures and arrivals

Travel consultations involve assessing the risks that may occur...

Prevention is better than cure: five tips for keeping older people healthy and out of hospital during winter

With winter upon us it is a timely reminder of the importance...

Seasonal influenza vaccines are now available

The Ministry of Health has announced that the first shipments...

Exposure to body fluids: keeping the primary healthcare team safe

Providing a safe working environment involves both minimising...

Smoking cessation beyond the ABC: Tailoring strategies to high-risk groups

Smoking rates are declining in New Zealand as more and more...

Measles: what to be aware of during an outbreak

The current measles outbreak in New Zealand highlights the importance...

The New Zealand Laboratory Schedule and Test Guidelines: Microbiological and Serological Tests

In October, 2013, the New Zealand Laboratory Test Schedule was...

Rural infections series: Rural round up

In the final instalment of the rural series we present a round-up...

Pertussis immunisation in pregnancy

New Zealand is slowly emerging from its most recent outbreak...

Seasonal influenza vaccination: 2014 update

The vaccine for the 2014 influenza season is now available....

Rural infections series: Investigating and managing people with diarrhoea

Campylobacter, Salmonella, Cryptosporidium and Giardia cause...

Assessing and managing workplace exposure to chemicals

Contributed by Dr Chris Walls, Occupational Physician, Auc...

Upfront - Sudden unexpected death in infancy: Where are we now?

The incidence of SUDI has declined significantly since public...

Laboratory investigation of exposure to metals or other hazardous substances in the environment

On occasion, General Practitioners will encounter a patient...

How to increase the uptake of cervical screening: A profile of success

A cervical smear test is an effective method for the early detection...

Health literacy plays an important role in boosting cervical screening uptake

Susan Reid and Carla White from health literacy and communication...

Cervical Screening – Are we reaching our targets?

There are approximately 180 new diagnoses of cervical cancer...

Upfront: Antimicrobial Resistance in New Zealand: What is my role in primary care?

This month marks the launch of our 2013 revised edition of “Antibiotic...

Antibiotics Guide

Tip: Bookmark this page or add to your home screen on your smartphone...

Upfront: Is the cupboard bare? The threat of antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the greatest threats to health...

Hazards to Health: e-notification to your Medical Officer of Health

A new electronic notification system has been designed for general...

H1N1 influenza vaccination and the risk of childhood narcolepsy

IN MARCH, 2012 A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE in the rate of childhood...

The 2013 influenza season: new strains, new vaccines

The dominant influenza virus to circulate in New Zealand this...

Pertussis: halting the epidemic by protecting infants

Infants who have not yet completed the National Immunisation...

Norovirus: Sydney 2012

In late 2012, there was a global increase in norovirus notifications,...

Update: It is now time to change your patient's diabetes meter

ON 1 SEPTEMBER 2012, three new diabetes blood glucose meters...

Upfront: Recommended vaccinations for primary health care staff

Recommended vaccinations for staff working in primary health...

Upfront: Lung cancer in New Zealand

Lung cancer in New Zealand: overcoming barriers

A new model for cancer care in New Zealand

An ageing population, earlier diagnosis and advances in oncology...

Following up prostate cancer in primary care

Cancer services in New Zealand are undergoing major changes...

News and updates

New national genetic service launched

Care pathways for long-term conditions: Using type 2 diabetes as an example

A care pathway is a tool that enables practitioners to provide...

Assessing cardiovascular risk in people with high clinical risk factors

Cardiovascular risk assessment tools automatically adjust risk...

Upfront: Understanding health literacy

Contributed by Susan Reid and Carla White, Workbase

Managing skin infections in Māori and Pacific families

Compared to other developed countries, New Zealand has one of...

Pertussis: an avoidable epidemic

This article is out of date. Please see: Pertussis: halting...

How to plan a catch-up immunisation

Although immunisation rates among Māori and Pacific peoples...

Oxycodone update

In June 2011, bpacnz produced a report on oxycodone dispensing...

Upfront: The new face of diabetes care in New Zealand

ON 1 JULY, 2012 the “Get Checked” programme, under which diabetes...

Surveillance of people at increased risk of colorectal cancer

The incidence of colorectal cancer in New Zealand is high by...

Seasonal influenza vaccinations: the 2012 edition

The 2012 seasonal influenza vaccine contains the same strains...

The HPV vaccination programme: addressing low uptake

The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine was added to the national...

Looking back, looking forward: key messages 2005 – 2011

This report highlights four key prescribing and laboratory testing...

PHO Performance Programme - six years on

The PHO Performance Programme was established in 2005 to improve...

Health literacy: a focus for the Health Quality & Safety Commission

Over half of New Zealand's adult population is believed to have...

Diabetes follow-up: what are the PHO Performance Programme indicators and how are they best achieved?

The purpose of the PHO Performance Programme is to improve health...

Diabetes detection: what are the PHO Performance Programme indicators and how are they best achieved?

The purpose of the PHO Performance Programme is to improve health...

Rheumatic fever in Māori: what can we do better?

In New Zealand, acute rheumatic fever is now almost exclusively...

Upfront: Meeting the needs of children and young people in New Zealand who have been abused and neglected

Nearly one quarter of New Zealand children and young people...

Whānau Ora: the theory and the practice

The Honourable Tariana Turia, Minister Responsible for Whānau...

In the aftermath of a catastrophe: The Christchurch earthquake

An interview with Dr Chris Leathart, GP, Christchurch and a...

Contraception in early adolescence

Young people are having sex. Advice about sexual health and...

Increasing the uptake of breast screening

Significant progress has been made in increasing the rate of...

Successful initiatives in men's health

We present some responses received following our 2010 article...

Upfront: Antimicrobial resistance - the way forward

In this final article in the series on antimicrobial resistance,...

Antimicrobial resistance: where are we now?

This article reviews the data currently available, which enables...

Overcoming barriers to cervical screening in Pacific women

Cervical screening rates in New Zealand have continued to increase...

Immunisation in Pacific children: a success story

Childhood immunisation plays an important role in the health...

Close contact infectious diseases: an increasing concern for Pacific peoples

Pacific peoples have poorer health status than other New Zealanders,...

Rheumatic fever - the neglected disease

New Zealand continues to have high rates of rheumatic fever,...

Promoting healthy lifestyles for Pacific peoples

Ask a Pacific person what a healthy lifestyle means for them...

Upfront: The health of Pacific peoples in Aotearoa is everybody's business

New Zealanders of Pacific descent come from approximately 20...

What’s up with the men folk? A call for successful initiatives in men’s health

In Part One of our men’s health series, we outline some...

Upfront: Resistance to antimicrobials - an increasing problem in our community

The threat of multiple drug resistant organisms in New Zealand....

The use of screening tests

GPs frequently perform tests for screening purposes, whether...

PSA screening in asymptomatic men

Prostate cancer screening in asymptomatic men is a controversial...

Bowel cancer screening in New Zealand

Progress to date on a national screening programme for bowel...

Immunisation in children by age two years

An important focus of the PHO Performance Programme is to ensure...

Substance misuse and addiction in Māori

It is estimated that substance misuse and other addictions are...

PHO Performance Programme - high needs populations

The PHO Performance Programme recognises the increased health...

Suicide prevention in Māori youth

The rate of suicide in young Māori males is higher than...

Influenza immunisation programme

Important changes to the 2010 influenza immunisation progr...

Key Messages & Introduction

Evidence indicates that early interventions in a number of mental...

Breast screening - achieving equity

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in New Zealand...

Snippets: Nicotinic acid Fosamax Plus & Genetic testing

Nicotinic acid/laropiprant (Tredaptive) ▪ Fosamax Plus...

Cervical smears - achieving equity

After the introduction of the National Cervical Screening Programme,...

Takin’ it to the people - successful initiatives in Māori health

Tohatohaina atu ki te iwi - He kaupapa hauora Māori angituSome...

About this journal

Kupu Whakataki Welcome to BPJ 22, our second journal focused...

Introduction to adult depression

Mental disorders are extremely common with over one third of...

Immunisation update

Recent changes to the immunisation schedule include a new pneumococcal...

Diagnosing and managing influenza

In healthy people influenza is usually self-limiting and uncomplicated...

The social responsibility of smokers

While people continue to smoke, they must be aware of the health...

Why people smoke

There are many reasons why people begin smoking, continue to...

Upfront: Cardiovascular risk screening

Professor Rod Jackson and Professor Simon Capewell debate screening...

Upfront: The nature of our nurture

How genes and the environment work together to predict disease...

Improving Māori health - increased awareness of issues

Feedback on a survey of GPs about Māori health issues

Upfront: Mandatory fortification of bread with folic acid

What side is your bread buttered on? Mandatory fortification...

Why we still need to think of rheumatic fever

Māori living in the upper North Island have one of the...

Practical solutions for improving Māori health

So what can primary healthcare professionals do about disparities...

Upfront: Diverse realities of Māori

Māori have poorer health outcomes, die younger and have...

A Māori/Pacific nursing service in a mainstream PHO

A PHO shares its experience and outcomes of establishing a unique...

Acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis

In her UPFRONT article on infectious disease patterns (BPJ Issue...

Fighting immunisation preventable disease in primary care

In New Zealand, the immunisation programme has eliminated polio...

Patient advice printouts

Patients often remember little of what we say during consultations....

Upfront: Infectious disease patterns a major concern

An Interview with Professor Diana Lennon on infectious disease...

Mental Health Foundation

Mental Health Foundations aims and key services.

Upfront: Direct to Consumer Advertising

Direct to Consumer Advertising In New Zealand.Is the end in...

Substance misuse in adolescents: alcohol, cannabis & other drugs

The risk of injury or death during adolescence is two to three...