27 August 2021 

Some highlights:  President's message | Virtual Lectureships | NZSA member photo competition  | Statement on ICU capacity | webAIRS survey | NZSA-ACC meeting | End-of-Life Choice Act | Aotearoa NZ ASM | WFSA Virtual World Congress |  New H & D standards | NZSA submissions | Environmental news | Events

Don't miss the inaugural new-look Visiting Lectureships (2 Sept @ 6pm) in a webinar format. Register here.

Dr Nick Lightfoot, Can small scale anaesthesia research make a difference?  Outcomes from New Zealand (Middlemore Hospital)​ 
Nominated by Clinical Senior Lecturer, Dr Francois Stapelberg, for his presentation on Evidence Based Medicine and Anaesthesia for Orthopaedic Surgery.  Dr Lightfoot has been influencing the practice of anaesthesia for orthopaedic surgery at Middlemore and within Auckland, especially Enhanced Recovery, through his research and collaboration interests, as well as clinical practice and trainee training.

Dr Rob Burrell, Sustainability: our world, our country, and our work​
Nominated by his Clinical Director, Dr John McGann, for his presentation. Dr Burrell has worked tirelessly over the years to monitor the carbon footprint of the Middlemore Hospital anaesthesia department, largely with regards to volatile use.  His gentle encouragement and regular data presentations have led to a significant drop through a sustained widespread shift in practice. 

The NZSA supports the joint statement on ICU capacity and COVID from the College of Intensive Care Medicine and the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society. The key message is that getting vaccinated is the best way to avoid needing an ICU bed at all and keeps everyone safer from COVID. We have shared this message via our social media platforms. Excerpt from the media release:

"Aotearoa New Zealand began the pandemic with much less ICU capacity than most other countries in the OECD, and half the capacity in Australia. This is one reason why the Intensive Care community was, and remains, strongly supportive of the government’s elimination strategy and vaccination programme. Although the population of Aotearoa New Zealand has increased significantly over the last ten years, the number of staffed ICU beds has not; no additional ICUs have been built and much of the funded increase in staffing to open more beds within existing units has been partially offset by increases in staff turnover." Read in full here

The NZSA would like to have a better understanding of members' awareness and use of webAIRS, a web-based anaesthesia incident reporting system. How do you rate this tool? WebAIRS is being reviewed by the organisations that support it financially - ANZCA, ASA and the NZSA. Your responses to our survey will help guide our involvement and funding of webAIRS into the future.

Thank you to members who have completed the survey already (sent out early August). We do need a higher response rate however to make decisions about webAIRS, which reflect our members' views. Please complete the five-minute survey here.

Thank you - we know this is an especially stressful time and appreciate your input.

The NZSA is meeting with ACC via zoom on 20 Sept (as part of our quarterly ACC-NZSA meetings). We will be seeking clarity on the criteria which ACC uses in deciding whether to pay anaesthetists for cancelled cases, an update of their spinal code review, and questioning them about prompt counselling and payment of injury treatment for patients who experience accidental anaesthesia awareness. If there are any issues you would like us to raise with ACC please contact comms@anaesthesia.nz

A reminder that we have a range of resources in relation to ACC on the members only section of our website (please log in to access), including ACC anaesthetic modifiers and an FAQ resource we recently produced with ACC.

Nominate an anaesthetist colleague for the NZSA's inaugural President's award. We have created this award to recognise and celebrate the contribution of colleagues to anaesthesia, the NZSA and our wider health system. Find out more on the NZSA website, including award criteria. The award will be presented at this year's AGM, to be held at the Annual Scientific Meeting in Christchurch (27-30 October). 

Ministry of Health information
The Ministry of Health is implementing the End of Life Choice Act 2019 to establish an assisted dying service in New Zealand from 7 November 2021. The current focus is to develop the steps in the assisted dying service that an eligible person and a practitioner will need to follow.  The MOH website outlines the rights and responsibilities of health practitioners under the Act (whether involved in assisted dying, wishing to conscientiously object, and/or needing guidance on how to talk with patients who may raise the issue). A booklet for health professionals can be viewed here.

Assisted Dying Workforce Forum, Wellington, 29 & 30 September 2021
MOH is hosting a forum for health practitioners who may be involved in delivering parts of the assisted dying service. The forum will provide information about assisted dying services and establish networks with peers ahead of the Act coming into force on 7 November. Registration here

Statutory body established for NZ's assisted dying service
The statutory body for the assisted dying service has been formed. The Support and Consultation for End of Life in New Zealand (SCENZ) group, will have responsibility for maintaining the list of health practitioners and psychiatrists involved in providing assisted dying services. SCENZ will have oversight of the standards, and work closely with the secretariat of the assisted dying service at MOH once assisted dying services become legally available. More here

Ministry of Health learning modules
The first learning module about the Act and assisted dying aims to provide all health professionals with a working knowledge of their roles and responsibilities under the Act, including conscientious objection. 

The NZSA has a webpage with collated EOLC Act information, news updates and resources. Bookmark to stay up-to-date here. You can also sign up for regular MOH updates.

View the latest information on PHARMAC's website in relation to the decision to secure supply of 100 mg, 300 mg and 400 mg gabapentin capsules. They have also provided an update on supply issues for Tramadol.

Promising to be the largest ever gathering of anaesthetists! Experience the latest science and interact with global experts to advance your knowledge and career (1-5 Sept 2021). 

100+ scientific sessions – live and on-demand, 400+ international speakers, 1800+ posters, workshops, and Meet-the-Experts. Review and watch sessions for three months post-conference. Register at www.WCA2021.org

NZSA CEO Michele Thomas attended an event to learn about the new Health and Disability Standard, which outlines the steps health providers must take to ensure they are providing safe, quality services. The Standard is a key tool used to continuously improve the country's health services. You can learn more in this article we have written for members.

Dr Stanley Reginald Hunt passed away on 8 August 2021, one day short of his 100th birthday. Dr Hunt was a founding member of Anaesthesia Auckland, along with Dr John Edgar (NZSA President 1968-1969) and Dr Brendon Lye. He was also a member of New Zealand's original men's indoor basketball team.

Dr Kaye Ottaway described him as an excellent anaesthetist in his day, "kind, patient focused and very astute." She was given permission by Dr Hunter's eldest son Stephan to share a poem read out at his funeral, which had some lovely and apt lines for anaesthetists:

"Linger no longer, spellbound away, and take our love with you, wherever you stray, you've left us with treasures on keyboard and court, and gardened with pleasure, were rarely out thought, you freed hurt in others, were unfailingly kind, you crypt'd and carded, loved affairs of the mind, yes your journey's been lengthy, 100-fold graced, so now know the ether of peace's embrace, and linger no longer, be pain free away, rest with our affection, forever today."

NZSA submissions can be read on our website advocacy page. Recent submissions:

- The Ministry of Health's proposed additions to the drugs which can be prescribed by designated pharmacist prescribers and our concern regarding anaesthetic drugs included on this list.
- The Government's review of PHARMAC and our feedback including the need for improved timeliness and transparency of decision-making. 
- The Ministry of Health's proposed funding mechanisms for health professionals who will be providing services for end-of-life care outside of the DHB setting. We have sought clarity on whether it is a fixed fee or time based (recommending it should be the latter).  The funding will be through a section 88 notice.

Climate action webinar 9 September
Do you want to advocate for climate action and optimise your skills to do so effectively? A webinar 'Advocacy skills for climate action' will be held on 9 September, hosted by the Global Climate and Health Alliance. You can register here. An opportunity to connect, learn and share with interactive discussion. Note that the webinar will also be recorded and available online shortly after the event.

Carbon neutral anaesthesia
Is carbon neutral anaesthesia a possibility? The latest article from the NZSA's Environmental and Sustainability Network, written by Dr Paul Currant, explores this topic. Read the article in the latest NZSA magazine, which was delivered to members earlier this month.

Dr Russell Rarity, ANZTADC committee member, will give a webAIRS presentation on Saturday 30 Oct, 2021 at the Aotearoa New Zealand Anaesthesia ASM: Advisory Notices for Anaesthetists – Alerts issued by webAIRS based on case reports during Session 11, from 1330 –1400. View the full program of the Aotearoa New Zealand Anaesthesia ASM.