Issue 286 - 12 October 2023
Welcome to the fortnightly Health Improvement and Innovation Digest. The Digest has links to key evidence of interest, with access to new content arranged by topic. You can forward this newsletter to others who may be interested in receiving it. They can register and subscribe here. You can also access other recent issues of the digest
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Health Equity (New Zealand)
Quality Improvement (New Zealand)
Nurse prescriber's understanding of their antimicrobial stewardship role: a qualitative study
Antimicrobial resistance is an infectious disease threat to public health globally, and antimicrobial stewardship among healthcare professionals is one key way to address this potential problem. Registered nurse designated prescribers are the newest group of health professionals to gain prescribing authority in Aotearoa New Zealand, yet little is known about their understanding of their antimicrobial stewardship role. The aim of this study, published in the Journal of Primary Health Care, was to explore registered nurse designated prescribers' understanding of their antimicrobial stewardship role through their prescribing practices and approaches to clinical reasoning. Closing the equity gap as we move to the elimination of seclusion: Early results from a national quality improvement project
Use of seclusion within mental health inpatient facilities is harmful for consumers and staff, but it is still used in many Aotearoa New Zealand and Australian facilities, at higher, inequitable rates for the indigenous populations of both countries. This study, published in Australasian Psychiatry, reports early results from a national programme to eliminate seclusion in mental health services in Aotearoa New Zealand, using a bicultural approach to reduce inequity for Māori.
Hospital Productivity (New Zealand)
Cancer Services (New Zealand)
Exploring health professionals’ viewpoint of provision of nutrition advice for women with endometrial cancer
The aim of this study, published in the New Zealand Medical Journal, was to explore barriers and facilitators to delivery and uptake of nutrition advice to women diagnosed with endometrial cancer from a health professionals’ viewpoint. Nutrition screening, assessment, and intervention practices for children with cancer in Aotearoa, New Zealand
The purpose of this study, published in Nutrition, was to investigate dietetic resources and current nutrition screening, assessment, and intervention practices in pediatric oncology centers in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
Emergency Department Services (New Zealand)
Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes (New Zealand)
Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes (International)
Primary Health Care (New Zealand)
Barriers Faced by Australian and New Zealand Women When Sharing Experiences of Family Violence with Primary Healthcare Providers: A Scoping Review
Despite the Australian Government's attempts to reduce domestic violence (DV) incidences, impediments within the social and health systems and current interventions designed to identify DV victims may be contributing to female victims' reluctance to disclose DV experiences to their primary healthcare providers. This scoping review, published in Healthcare, aimed to provide the state of evidence regarding reluctance to disclose DV incidents, symptoms and comorbidities that patients present to healthcare providers, current detection systems and interventions in clinical settings, and recommendations to generate more effective responses to DV.
Primary Health Care (International)
Immediate versus delayed versus no antibiotics for respiratory infections
Concerns exist regarding antibiotic prescribing for respiratory tract infections (RTIs) owing to adverse reactions, cost and antibacterial resistance. One proposed strategy to reduce antibiotic prescribing is to provide prescriptions, but to advise delay in antibiotic use with the expectation that symptoms will resolve first. This update of a Cochrane Review aims to evaluate the effects on duration and/or severity of clinical outcomes (pain, malaise, fever, cough and rhinorrhoea), antibiotic use, antibiotic resistance and patient satisfaction of advising a delayed prescription of antibiotics in respiratory tract infections.
Increased Immunisation (New Zealand)
Interventions to improve vaccine coverage of pregnant women in Aotearoa New Zealand
Maternal vaccination against influenza and pertussis protects mothers and babies from severe disease and is recommended and funded in Aotearoa New Zealand. Despite this, maternal vaccination uptake is low, varies by region and is inequitable, with Māori and Pacific māmā (mothers) less likely to receive vaccination. The aim of this study, published in the Journal of Primary Health Care, was to determine what interventions currently exist to support and encourage maternal vaccination against influenza and pertussis and what changes and interventions could be implemented to improve coverage, with a focus on Māori and Pacific hapū māmā (pregnant mothers). Exploring factors that influence vaccination uptake for children with refugee backgrounds: An interpretive description study of primary healthcare providers’ perspectives
Children with refugee backgrounds are at high risk of acquiring vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs) due to a complex set of factors, one being under-immunisation. In Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ), reported age-appropriate vaccination rates are suboptimal among children with refugee backgrounds. This study, published in Vaccine, explored factors associated with access and uptake of immunisations and develop strategies to improve age-appropriate vaccinations among refugee children post-resettlement in NZ.
Smoking Cessation (New Zealand)
Smoking Cessation (International)
Weight Management (International)
Key Ministry of Health Publications
Ngā Wānanga Pae Ora 2023 – Summary Report
This document brings together the voices, reflections and themes raised at Ngā Wānanga Pae Ora 2023, which informed the development of Pae Tū: Hauora Māori Strategy and other Pae Ora health strategies.
Ministry of Health Consultations & Events
Quarterly Feedback Survey Ngā Paerewa Health and Disability Services Standard Implementation September 2023
HealthCERT continues to support the implementation of Ngā Paerewa Health and disability services standard NZS 8134:2021 (Ngā Paerewa). As part of the implementation and transition period, HealthCERT is running a regular survey to gather feedback from all stakeholders, including service providers, health professionals, people and whānau who use these services. This survey aims to check in on how the transition is going so we can identify the most useful guidance and training to offer. This survey closes on the 31st October.
Transition Unit improves patient flow
A new transition unit to improve patient flow between the emergency department and wards at Taranaki Base Hospital has been hailed a resounding success. When the hospital’s new renal unit was opened earlier this year, the former renal unit was repurposed into a transition unit to help with admissions from the ED into wards, and discharges from wards back into the community. The unit has eased pressure on ED beds by creating a five-bed post-ED admission staging area until a ward bed comes free. In turn, to free up ward beds, the unit has five Lay-Z-Boy chairs for patients waiting to be picked up following being discharged from their ward.
The information available on or through this newsletter does not represent Ministry of Health policy. It is intended to provide general information to the health sector and the public, and is not intended to address specific circumstances of any particular individual or entity.
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