/news/health/rss 九一星空无限 Keep up with the latest in local health news with 九一星空无限talk ZB. Wed, 03 Dec 2025 02:44:23 Z en /news/health/pharmacists-pick-up-1257-mistakes-in-prescriptions-in-a-week/ /news/health/pharmacists-pick-up-1257-mistakes-in-prescriptions-in-a-week/ By Ruth Hill of RNZ More than one in four prescription errors picked up by pharmacists had a potentially serious risk of harm to patients, an audit has found. In total, 68 pharmacies in the Midland Region took part in the week-long Script Audit – the first exploration of electronic scripts in New Zealand – using a purpose-built reporting app. The Midland Region covers areas like Waikato, Lakes, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, and Tairāwhiti. Midland Community Pharmacy Group chief executive Pete Chandler – who co-ordinated the audit and built the app for it using AI – said a major driver for the initiative was the tragic death of a 2-month-old baby in Manawatū earlier this year. This came on top of long-standing concerns among pharmacists about system-wide clinical risk, he said. “That was a wake-up call for pharmacists around the country to the fact that if they miss something on the script, the consequences can be tragic.” In Bellamere Duncan’s case, it was an error at the pharmacy– but pharmacists say in most cases, they are the ones picking up problems. During the week-long audit, pharmacists reported 1257 problems in prescriptions sent by GPs, specialists, midwives, dentists and other prescribers. The most common related to inaccurate drug doses, followed by wrong quantities, missing details or patients prescribed “inappropriate” drugs, which could interfere with other medicines they were taking, for instance. Most disturbingly, 26% of mistakes had a high risk of patient harm, if the pharmacist had not intervened. The estimated rate of “interventions” varied widely between individual pharmacies, ranging from problems found in fewer than 1% of scripts to some identifying problems with 11.25% of total prescriptions sent to them. The report noted the pharmacies with the highest intervention rates were known to the leadership teams of Bay of Plenty Community Pharmacy Group and MidCentral Community Pharmacy Group as “highly competent and thorough in clinical checking”, which suggested it could reflect more robust identification. “Pharmacists have become the default safeguard against electronic deficiencies and other prescribing issues, yet this safeguard is neither resourced nor acknowledged in current funding or workforce planning. This is happening at a time when pharmacists should be contributing far more to reducing hospital and primary care pressures.” Chandler said whenever there was a problem with a script, pharmacists had to contact the prescriber involved and sort it out – and that could take minutes, hours or even days. “You can see the minutes ticking away into hours while the pharmacist is waiting for a response.” This could involve trying to track down a junior doctor who had now finished a hospital shift, or getting through to a busy GP. “Some things are just irritating rather than being unsafe. So if your barcode won’t scan, it’s a pain and it wastes time. If a patient’s details don’t come through on a script, it needs chasing up. “There are a range of issues that can happen, but this is time that we really need to use for something else.” Invisible work of pharmacists not funded A smaller survey of 20 pharmacists by the Pharmaceutical Society this year found 45% were making up to five clinical interventions every day and 6% were making up to 40. North Shore pharmacist Michael Hammond, president of the Pharmaceutical Society, said problems with scripts were annoying for everyone involved, including the patient having to wait for it to be sorted out. “There are supply chain issues as well, so we’re having to have conversations with patients about why something is out of stock and then go to the prescriber and explain they need an alternative, or they can only dispense one month’s supply. “So there’s a lot of unseen activity by pharmacists that needs to be recognised and funded appropriately.” While electronic prescribing had fixed the historic problem of illegible handwriting, this audit revealed that technology had spawned a new set of problems. The report on the audit found training, knowledge of drug changes and the inherent complexity of patient care remained contributing factors. “However, the scale and pattern of findings indicate that IT system flaws do appear to be responsible for a substantial proportion of script issues increasing the workload and risk for both pharmacists and prescribers.” Chandler said it was frustrating for everyone involved. “Often what the GP thinks they’ve asked for is not what the pharmacist sees. And pharmacists are obsessively diligent in their work, they’re very careful people, so they will do what it takes to sort it out.” GPs also frustrated The College of General Practitioners medical director, Dr Prabani Wood, said none of the software systems available were completely fit-for-purpose. “There aren’t really those fail-safe mechanisms in our electronic health systems that stop you from making a crazy error by multiplying the number of tablets you’re asking for by a factor of 10 or 100. That still doesn’t happen.” While Health NZ was working towards a shared digital health record, it was almost impossible for busy GPs to keep up with which medicines were currently funded by Pharmac or subject to supply problems, she said. “I did a prescription last week for a person with ADHD and they are on a number of different medications and different doses, a couple of which were available at their normal pharmacy and one that isn’t. So it gets quite tricky. “The system is not in place to help things run more smoothly. For me, I think having easier communication between general practice and pharmacy would help.” The report itself concluded that many of the problems reported could be significantly reduced with co-ordinated action and “a willingness to address root causes rather than relying on workarounds”. Promising micro-improvements were already emerging, including a dedicated text-only line for pharmacy prescription inquiries at one GP practice. However, systemic improvement would require some national level, some regional level and some local level (i.e. local pharmacy and general practice) quality improvement, including working with IT providers to improve their systems. “This small snapshot validates the significant concerns pharmacists across Aotearoa have been signalling for years – that script issues are increasing, clinical risk is rising and the system is not responding to make at the pace required. “Doing nothing is no longer a defensible option.” Fri, 21 Nov 2025 01:36:41 Z /news/health/how-to-beat-the-humidity-10-tips-to-stay-cool-and-sleep-better/ /news/health/how-to-beat-the-humidity-10-tips-to-stay-cool-and-sleep-better/ With rain forecast this weekend and temperatures in the North Island set to hit 24C, it can only mean one thing: the humidity is on the way. The dreaded muggy feeling occurs when the air is warm enough to make us sweat, but carries enough water vapour to interfere with the sweating process, therefore making it tricky to get that sticky feeling off our skin. So how can you get a good night’s sleep, keep your house feeling dry and cool and stop mould growing in the process? Check out our 10 tips for beating the humidity below.  Swap synthetics for natural fibres When it’s muggy, your best bet is opting for clothing made from breathable fabrics, such as linen and lightweight cotton, and choosing loose-fitting garments. Tight clothes and synthetic fabrics can trap heat and moisture. For bedding, ditch polyester blankets and sheets and again, choose linen and cotton instead. This will allow your skin to breathe while you sleep and allow for airflow. Close your curtains Around 30% of unwanted heat comes from your windows, so closing them and shutting the curtains can lower the temperature of your home. It may be tempting to fling the windows open, but it’s important to keep them closed, especially in the bedroom, to keep the humidity out. Stay hydrated It’s simple advice, but your mum was right – you need to drink lots of water to ensure you stay hydrated, especially when it’s humid. Don’t forget to keep a glass or bottle of water by your bed. Dehydration makes it hard to regulate body temperature and sipping water throughout the night can help. Use a dehumidifier A dehumidifier is a great way to reduce the levels of humidity in your home by drawing in moist air, cooling and condensing moisture and releasing drier air back into the room. It also helps to control mould and stop it from growing. Sleep alone Cuddling might be on the table during the winter months but it’s the last thing you want during the muggy nights. Sleeping together increases your body heat, which isn’t fun for anyone trying to get to sleep. Try a cool shower Taking a cool shower will help bring your core body temperature down, and you can hit the hay feeling clean, fresh and cool. Direct heat out Another less obvious tip is to point a fan out the window (if you can handle opening it, see tip #2), instead of directly at you. This will blow the hot air out and cool the air coming in. Where possible, try to avoid drying your clothes inside. Photo / 123rf Keep the house dry Avoid drying clothes and towels inside, as it only adds to the moisture and mugginess. Try to find a covered area outside or in the garage. If you must dry items inside, do it in an area with an extractor fan that vents out. Use your heat pump for cooling Heat pumps can also be reversed into air conditioners and used to cool down the house efficiently, just make sure the filters are clean and it’s been serviced in the past two years. Open windows at night Once the sun has gone down, open the windows to let in the cooler night air and some of the pent-up humidity out. Fri, 07 Nov 2025 02:35:20 Z /news/health/nz-measles-outbreak-how-to-know-if-you-are-protected/ /news/health/nz-measles-outbreak-how-to-know-if-you-are-protected/ Measles is currently spreading in the community, putting New Zealand at risk of a larger outbreak, Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora says. The total number of cases to date is 13, and Auckland schools including Auckland Grammar School are telling students to stay home after exposure to measles. The risk of further cases, contacts and exposure is “very high”, according to the public health agency. Experts say a higher level of immunity is needed to prevent transmission of the virus. But what is measles, what are the symptoms and how do you know if you’re immune? Here’s what you need to know. What are the symptoms of measles? According to Health NZ, measles is an acute respiratory illness caused by the measles virus, which is highly contagious. Early symptoms typically include a fever, cough and conjunctivitis or red eyes, around 10 days to two weeks after being exposed to the virus. A measles rash usually develops a few days later, starting on the face or behind the ears and spreading downwards to the rest of the body. It’s important to note that not everyone with measles will get a rash. Dr Prabani Wood, a Hamilton-based GP and medical director of the Royal New Zealand College of GPs, says most people will recover quickly, but the virus can lead to serious health impacts in some cases. “You can get pneumonia as a result of having a recent measles infection,” she tells the Herald. “There’s a very rare but very serious instance where you get essentially swelling and inflammation around the brain after having measles. It can also cause deafness. “At least 10% of people that get measles end up with serious illness and serious follow-on side effects from it, which [lead to] sometimes long-term hospitalisation and even death.” What’s the current vaccination rate for measles in New Zealand? Not high enough, according to the experts. Speaking to The Front Page host Chelsea Daniels earlier this week, University of Canterbury senior lecturer in epidemiology Anna Howe said we’re in an “extremely precarious position”. A population immunity of around 95% is needed to prevent transmission once the virus has been introduced. “At the moment, our childhood schedule provides MMR [measles, mumps and rubella vaccine] at 12 and 15 months. So, we use our 24-month coverage milestone as an indicator ... coverage is sitting at 82%,” Howe said. “That coverage is not uniform across the community, even at 82%.” Regions like Northland and Lakes have low coverage, 62-73%, she said, while the Hutt Valley, Capital and Coast, and Canterbury have 90%. When should you get vaccinated for measles in New Zealand? According to Health NZ, there are two ways to become immune to measles: by having had it before or by getting two doses of a measles vaccine after the age of 12 months. This is known as the combination MMR – measles, mumps and rubella – vaccine, which is given to children at the age of 12 and 15 months according to the current schedule. It was first introduced to New Zealand in 1990. Health Minister Simeon Brown is currently considering advice on an MMR zero vaccination for babies aged 4 months to under 12 months. “Ultimately, the advice or the early advice I’ve received is that it is an option which will be considered, but there’s also a potential downside in that if children are immunised earlier than one year, then potentially the longer-term immunity isn’t as good or the effectiveness of the vaccine isn’t as good over the longer term,” he told 九一星空无限talk ZB. How do I know if I’ve been vaccinated for measles? According to Health NZ, if you were born before 1969, you’re likely to be immune to measles. As there was no measles vaccine at this time, many people would have had measles as children. For those people who have had vaccinations, you may have immunisation records that can tell you if you’ve had both doses of the measles vaccine. These may have been recorded in your Wellchild or Plunket book, electronically on My Health Record, or your doctor may be able to share them with you through an online portal such as My Indici or Manage My Health. The information in these records may differ, depending on when and where you received your vaccinations. You may have been given the MMR vaccine, or, if you were vaccinated before 1990, you may have received the measles vaccine (before 1981, this was given to babies at 10 months, rather than the current 12 months). You can also put the year you were born into this tool on Health NZ’s website for guidance. If you can’t find any record of your measles vaccine, you can speak to your GP about getting a blood test or swab for measles. What to do next? The current measles outbreak may get worse before it gets better. “It’s just a case of waiting a few more weeks, probably to see how bad it’s going to get,” Howe said. Wood’s advice to anyone who thinks they might have measles symptoms is to stay at home and if they get worse, call Healthline or your GP. “They can link them to the public health units around the country who are trying to do contact tracing, so they’ll try to confirm whether this is a measles case or not,” she says. “Stay home, try and rest up, but obviously be aware if you’re starting to get more unwell, to seek out medical care.” If you are considered not immune to measles, you can get vaccinated, with two MMR vaccines at least one month apart. The vaccine is free to everyone in New Zealand under the age of 18, and if you are 18 or older, it is free if you are eligible for funded healthcare in Aotearoa. If you’re pregnant, taking immunosuppressant medication or were born before 1969, speak to your doctor before getting the measles vaccine. Fri, 31 Oct 2025 02:06:17 Z /news/health/facing-dementia-fear-and-stigma-delay-vital-early-diagnosis/ /news/health/facing-dementia-fear-and-stigma-delay-vital-early-diagnosis/ Dementia is on the rise in New Zealand, but it is still a condition many are afraid to talk about. In the second of a Northern Advocate series, Denise Piper shines a light on how Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia types impact Northlanders, early warning signs and what help is available in the early stages. Bruce Willis has plenty of fans in the Tikipunga headquarters of Dementia Tai Tokerau. Lead community adviser Cindy Faulkes says the Die Hard star’s public battle with dementia has helped to remove the stigma of the progressive brain disorder, especially among men. The spotlight on the struggles of rugby stars such as Carl Hayman and Bruce Robertson has also helped. “There’s still a fair amount of stigma out there - people don’t want to get dementia or ‘go doolally’,” she says. “Notable figures in rugby who have been upfront with it, and Bruce Willis, that has helped open things up, for men in particular.” Dementia has long been thought to be underdiagnosed in New Zealand, but exact numbers are only being quantified now. One study under way is the Impact of Dementia mate wareware and Solutions for Equity in Aotearoa, or Idea project for short, which is analysing Pākehā, Chinese and Indian people over 65 in Auckland and Christchurch. About halfway into the three-year study, interviews with more than 1000 people have identified more than 100 with dementia symptoms, says lead researcher Professor Ngaire Kerse, a director of the University of Auckland’s Centre for Co-Created Ageing Research and the Joyce Cook chair in Ageing Well. Between a third and half of those identified were not diagnosed with dementia, nor were they receiving the support they needed, she says. Professor Ngaire Kerse, University of Auckland researcher and the Joyce Cook chair in Ageing Well, says a third to half of people found to have dementia symptoms had not been diagnosed. Why is dementia underdiagnosed? Kerse says there could be many reasons for the underdiagnosis, including stigma around dementia. “Maybe they aren’t aware that there’s an issue. Maybe they’re experienced quite significant stigma, or their families wanted to protect their loved ones from the stigma.” Another reason could be that people feel they’re managing all right, although Kerse’s team has been busy connecting those identified as having dementia with support services. Faulkes agrees that many people put off getting a dementia diagnosis, either for themselves or for a loved one, because of fear or stigma. Another problem is that the progressive condition can be hard for GPs to diagnose, with a need to rule out other things that could be causing memory problems, such as delirium caused by infection. Bruce Willis was often playing the tough guy in movies like Cosmic Sin, but publicity about his personal battle with frontotemporal dementia is helping other men get a diagnosis. “And then there’s the problem that you can’t exactly get a living brain and open it up to see what’s happening inside. MRIs can help, with a combination of assessments based on what the person could do and what they can do now.” Doctors are looking for not just a bit of memory loss, but significant changes in what a person can remember or can do. What if a person doesn’t want to see the doctor? Faulke says another difficulty is when a person knows there is something wrong with their loved one but cannot convince them to see a doctor. These people are advised to encourage their loved ones to get a warrant of fitness test, or say they need support for their own check-up. Lead community adviser Cindy Faulkes says Dementia Tai Tokerau, previously called Alzheimers Northland, can help whānau after a diagnosis. Photo / Michael Cunningham Photography Whatever the case, putting your head in the sand and ignoring the problem only works for so long, Faulke says. “It makes it really difficult to plan for good health ahead.” Why it’s best to get an early diagnosis Despite the fear, it is better to be proactive and know sooner rather than later, says Faulkes, who is not only a community adviser but also helped to look after her father when he had dementia. An early diagnosis allows the patient to have more say in their care, such as setting up an enduring power of attorney, and their spouses or caregivers can have support. An age-old fear that people with dementia would be thrown in a care home is not a reality, she says, not least because there are not enough beds for everyone with the condition. “The reality is we try to keep the person at home for as long as possible. It’s the most economical solution and also what the person wants.” Help can include medication and day programmes, such as those run by Dementia Tai Tokerau at Alz House in Tikipunga. There can also be in-home support for daily activities such as taking medication, preparing meals or personal care. If you are worried that you, or someone you know, is showing signs of dementia mate wareware, see your GP or primary health care provider for a full assessment. Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference. Mon, 27 Oct 2025 03:15:08 Z /news/health/family-court-releases-retired-surgeon-from-compulsory-mental-health-care/ /news/health/family-court-releases-retired-surgeon-from-compulsory-mental-health-care/ A retired surgeon who began exhibiting increasingly erratic behaviour, including spending $40,000 travelling Europe to promote a plan to fight against Russian President Vladimir Putin, was admitted against his will to a mental health treatment unit. The man’s doctor referred him for a mental health assessment earlier this year after several complaints about his behaviour. Over the past year, the man butted heads with his lawyer, accountant, bank and family members, as he believed they were trying to take his money and had forged his signature to do so. In an email to a piano tuner, he called the man a “filthy sinning coward” and copied in a range of other organisations, including the police, Kiwibank, Spark and various politicians. He was removed from a speaking event at his former school, as well as a church service, after becoming aggressive. In March, he travelled around Europe to promote a plan he had to fight against Putin and to end the war in Ukraine, spending $40,000 of his own money to do so. He also sought an audience with multiple secret service agencies to suggest a plan for peace in Ukraine. His behaviour was at odds with the highly intelligent and eccentric person his family knew, and in July this year, he was involuntarily taken into a mental health treatment unit. A doctor at the unit then applied for a compulsory treatment order, which, if imposed, could see the man receive treatment for up to six months. However, in the Family Court, the man opposed the order being made, arguing he did not have a mental disorder. To qualify as having a mental disorder requiring compulsory treatment, a person must be proven to be a danger to themselves or others and be unable to take care of themselves. The man had been an inpatient for two months by the time a hearing was held last month and had been accepting treatment because he was required to, not because he’d agreed. He spent days at his home but returned to the unit at night. According to the Family Court’s recent decision, a charge nurse at the unit said that since being given medication, there had been a reduction in the man’s “delusional” thoughts and behaviours, such as believing a screw in his car tyre had been intentionally put there by his stepmother. A doctor, whose opinion was sought by the court about whether a compulsory treatment order should be put in place, said the man did not make obviously grandiose, clearly delusional and bizarre claims about himself. While the doctor described the man as “intense”, he’d been able to pare back the way he communicated and identify why people had found it offensive. Overall, the doctor said he didn’t think the man met the threshold for a compulsory treatment order. Another doctor who assessed the man identified multiple risks, including alienating his support, being unable to interact reasonably with banks, lawyers, accountants and the potential for further legal repercussions because of that, and said they pointed to an underlying cognitive condition. The man, a retired medical professional, told the court he had no physical or psychiatric conditions that required treatment and stated, “I’m a doctor and I know”. He maintained he did not need to take antipsychotic medication, despite doctors at the mental health unit claiming they had seen a marked improvement and he’d become “less intense”. Family Court Judge Annette Gray found the man was suffering from an abnormal state of mind characterised by delusions, both persecutory and grandiose. Judge Gray said while his behaviour was increasingly abnormal, there was no evidence of him previously needing to be removed from public spaces or sending inappropriate emails. “[The man] has been described as eccentric but the behaviours over the course of this year, in my view, go beyond what could reasonably be seen as eccentric to behaviours that on the balance of probabilities support the description of an abnormal state of mind characterised by delusions.” However, she was not satisfied he posed any danger to himself or to others, or that he had lost the ability to care for himself. Judge Gray said if his behaviour continued and escalated, then a compulsory order could be made in the future. “However, imposing compulsory inpatient treatment and medication against someone’s agreement has to be carefully weighed up and the extent of the risk balanced against the patient’s usual right to determine their own medical treatment. “I do not consider [the man] is mentally disordered as the second limb of the test for mental disorder is not made out, he shall therefore be released from compulsory status forthwith.” The man was approached for comment through his lawyer. Jeremy Wilkinson is an Open Justice reporter based in Manawatū, covering courts and justice issues with an interest in tribunals. He has been a journalist for nearly a decade and has worked for 九一星空无限 since 2022. Mon, 27 Oct 2025 02:20:13 Z /news/health/measles-outbreak-10-cases-confirmed-after-two-more-found-in-wellington-hundreds-of-close-contacts-at-school/ /news/health/measles-outbreak-10-cases-confirmed-after-two-more-found-in-wellington-hundreds-of-close-contacts-at-school/ Two more measles cases were confirmed over the weekend, taking the total number of known cases to 10. One of those cases came from overseas, and the other nine were contracted locally. “The risk of further measles cases, contacts and exposures across the country remains very high,” Health New Zealand said. Seven of the nine local cases were linked to an exposure event on the Bluebridge Cook Strait ferry on October 3, Health New Zealand said. “Several hundred” close contacts have been identified at Wellington College, along with a number at Wellington Girls’ College, Health New Zealand said. They had been identified “following cases linked to the October 3 ferry crossing”. Health New Zealand was contacting close contacts via bulk text messages, emails and phone calls. Seven of the nine local cases are linked to an exposure event on the Bluebridge Cook Strait ferry on October 3, Health New Zealand says. Photo / Dean Purcell “If you receive any of these communications from us, please follow the advice that’s provided to keep your loved ones and others in our communities safe,” the health department said. “With the [affected] schools’ support, we have sent communications out to inform and support staff, students and the wider school communities. “Public Health is working at pace to contact all identified individuals. Due to the volume of people involved, this process may not be completed today.” Health New Zealand was publishing locations of interest online. Anyone concerned they have been at one of these locations could find advice on its website. And anyone who developed symptoms after being at any of those locations should contact Healthline “urgently” for advice," Health New Zealand said. “Measles is highly contagious and can cause serious and potentially long-term health problems. People with measles often feel very unwell, but you may be contagious even before you get any symptoms. “Measles symptoms include an illness that begins with high fever (over 38C), cough, runny nose, and sore red eyes (conjunctivitis), and a rash, beginning on the face and gradually spreading down the body to the arms and legs. The rash lasts for up to one week.” NZ Public Health medicine specialist Dr Matthew Reid had earlier told RNZ that measles contact tracers found patient zero from the ferry trip, with the individual having infected four people during the journey. Including the newest cases, a breakdown by region shows Northland with one confirmed case, Auckland with two, Taranaki with one, Manawatū with two, Wellington, three and Nelson, one. Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers business, breaking news and local stories from Tāmaki Makaurau. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022. Mon, 27 Oct 2025 01:53:23 Z