PMAANZ e-Matters Newsletter
Secretary Update / Welcome
Kia ora koutou, and welcome to our Christmas newsletter. We have exciting news and updates to share with you in this edition.
Our Chair, Mary, has been busy attending meetings across Aotearoa to represent PMAANZ and advocate for our members.
We also cover Closedown periods and annual leave, and how to plan for them.
Additionally, we provide an overview of the AAPM23 conference in Australia and what we learned from this fantastic event.
Niomi updates us on the upcoming roadshow and provides information on how to register for it.
Wendy talks about setting goals for the new year and offers tips on how to achieve them. We also hear from our committee chair in Wellington and learn about what they have been up to.
To top it off, we have included great movie and book reviews, as well as a Christmas recipe for you to try.
We hope you enjoy reading this issue and wish you a happy and safe holiday season.
Meri kirihimete
Carol Neki | PMAANZ Executive National Secretary
Chair Update
Kia ora koutou
My first two months as Chair have been quite eventful. I have attended and advocated on behalf of our members at the following:
- General Practice Leaders Forum meetings
- ACC Rehabilitation Improvement Provider Advisory Group
- Collaborative Aotearoa Hui together with some joint work on a PM manual
- General Practice Sector group
- PSAAP Representation Group
- General Practice NZ
- GPNZ/Sapere F2F Workshop - Sustainability of General Practice
- Meeting with NZ Medical Insurance
In October, I represented PMAANZ at the AAPM23 (Australian Association of Practice Management) Conference, held in Adelaide. While I didn't see much of Adelaide, I would love to go back and explore the beautiful architecture and rich history. AAPM hold their Conference from Wednesday to Friday due to their larger membership. This year's official opening speaker was Mark Butler, Minister for Health and Aged Care. He spoke about the same problems in Australia we are experiencing here: lack of doctors and funding and increasing complexity of care. It was interesting to hear that Australia is introducing My Medicare, which is a bit like our enrolment but voluntary. Patients can register with a GP, giving the practice access to a small amount of funding. One thing that surprised me was their use of technology; they are still faxing referral letters for both public and private services. They also don't electronically claim for funding; it's manual, but this is slowly changing on a state-by-state approach.
It was great to catch up with Miranda, John and Priscilla and the other Kiwis who made the trip. It was especially good to get ideas from their conference and things we can bring to ours in September 2024.
We had our first Executive meeting earlier this month; it was great to sit down with our new team and discuss our plans for the following year. I'm excited about our team and looking forward to working with them.
It’s understandable that we are uncertain about the future of General Practice, given the new government is not yet officially up and running. However, it was great to hear that there has been an increase in GPEPs for 2024, and I hope that there will be more good news coming our way.
I hope everyone gets some time away from work over the summer, it's important we look after our own well-being and take time to recharge our batteries after the stressful few years we have all experienced.
Merry Christmas and a Happy and safe New Year to you all.
Ngā mihi o te wa kirihimete me te tau hou
Mary Morrissey | PMAANZ Chair
Welcome to our new members
November new members:
- Sarah Hewitt – Auckland
- Jonathan O’Shea - Auckland
- Aimee Dackers - Otago
- Regi Nair - Wellington
- Joseph Dela Cruz – Auckland
- LeeAnne Pasco - National
The Executive would like to warmly welcome the following new PMAANZ members. We look forward to meeting you in person, and hope that you engage fully and benefit greatly from your membership.
MAS - Close down periods
With the Christmas/New Year break rapidly approaching, we are receiving queries about closing practices for the days between Christmas and New Year statutory public holidays.
Some businesses will observe an annual closedown. This applies when the business customarily closes down for this period each year. There are specific requirements under the Holidays Act, and in most cases, you will have included a ‘Close Down’ clause in your employment agreements. This should detail your obligations around the notification period, what happens in terms of employees using annual holiday entitlement, and what happens if they don’t have the annual leave entitlement or don’t have enough leave to cover the period.
If an employee has an annual holiday entitlement, the period of the closedown must be taken by the employee as annual holidays. However, if an employee does not have enough holiday entitlements to cover the entire period of the closedown, the employer and employee may agree that the employee takes annual holidays in advance.
If an employee is not yet entitled to annual holidays at the commencement of a closedown period or has used the whole of any previous year’s entitlement and has not yet qualified for annual holidays in the subsequent year, an employer can require that employee to discontinue his or her work during the closedown period. The employer must pay 8% of the employee’s gross earnings from the employee’s anniversary of employment (or since the employee last became entitled to annual holidays, until the commencement of the closedown period. This is less any amount paid to the employee for annual holidays taken in advance.
For employees whose work is subject to a regular annual closedown, the employer can nominate a date that will be treated as the date the closedown begins, and on which the employees become entitled to annual holidays. This date must be reasonably connected to the timing of the annual closedown.
This is the only instance when an employer can nominate a particular date for annual holiday calculations.
If you don’t customarily close down over this period but have decided that this year you would like to close, you need to do this in consultation with staff. You can direct your staff to use entitled leave with at least 14 days’ notice if you can’t come to agreement, but you may find that you will have to pay your staff for the days that you have chosen to close.
Annual holidays
You and your staff will be planning their summer holidays, and for some managers it will be a juggling act managing staff expectations about leave and having sufficient staff to provide services.
In general, annual holidays should be taken by agreement. When there are popular periods for leave like around Christmas and Easter, you need to be sure that you have a fair process for dealing with leave requests and allocation. We would recommend having a leave policy and an application process in place, that clearly documents the application process and the timeframes for response to applications. When there are popular periods, you should clearly set expectations about how many staff will be required to be at work to ensure you can provide services safely.
Calculating holiday pay for permanent employees can be confusing. The rate of holiday pay must be paid at the greater of the employee’s ordinary pay or average weekly earnings over the last 12 months. The payment is different for employees returning from parental leave.
There may be times when you agree to allow employees to take annual leave in advance. If you do, the rate is the same as the standard rate. For example, the greater of the employee’s ordinary pay or average weekly earnings over the last 12 months.
If an employee takes annual holidays in advance, the amount paid to the employee for those holidays may be deducted from any holiday pay that would otherwise be owing on termination of employment. If the amount paid in advance exceeds the amount of holiday pay that would otherwise be owing on termination, you need the employee’s consent to deduct the difference from the ‘non-holiday pay component’ of the employee’s final pay.
Cashing up annual holidays
Employees can ask you to pay out up to one week of their annual holiday entitlement. Employees can make multiple requests until a maximum of one week is paid out in each year. The term "Week" means the employee's normal working week. If they work 4 days a week, they can ask to cash up no more than 4 days of annual holidays.
If you want to help employees make requests, you can have a policy and a standard request document for them to use. You can also have a policy that you will not consider requests for cashing up leave. In the absence of such a policy, any requests need to be considered in good faith and within a reasonable time.
Employee requests and your response must be in writing. You can accept or decline requests, and you do not have to provide a reason unless you choose to. If you accept a request the employee must be paid as soon as practicable, usually on the next pay day. The payment is calculated at the same rate as if the holidays were actually taken. For example, the higher of ordinary weekly pay or average weekly earnings.
Employees cannot be pressured or required to make a request, and you cannot raise 'cashing up' in wage or salary discussions or make it a condition of employment.
If annual holidays are paid out to an employee who did not make a proper request, their annual holiday entitlement remains, and the employee can take these holidays. Therefore, you can end up paying twice.
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 2023.
Promoting Holistic Health: Ensuring Your Team’s and Your Own Wellbeing
Christmas can be a joyous time for many, but it can be challenging for others. Here are some small tips to support your staff over the coming months:
- Pick one person to acknowledge for their work and complement each day.
- Check in on your staff and ask how they are doing- although they care for others, some people may have yet to be asked this themselves. Listen to their concerns and acknowledge they are going through a challenging time if appropriate. Work with the staff member to plan at work if needed, e.g., ensuring that they take breaks. You could also ask the staff member, ‘What is one thing you can do today to look after yourself?’
- If you have access to this service, remind staff they can access the Employee Assistance Program or free counselling sessions.
- Put up the 1737 number in the staff room for free access to a counsellor 1737 - Need to Talk?
Put flyers up in the staff room with suggestions for looking after yourself (tips below) - Treats or baking in the staff room always lifts the mood.
We often look out for others during the Christmas/New Year period, but it is easy to forget about ourselves. It is essential to ‘fill our cup first’ to ‘pour out to others’ in our professional and personal lives.
We can look after our wellbeing in many ways, with a flow-on effect enabling us to support others better. Here are a few suggestions from a Health Improvement Practitioner, Tessa.
- Block out some time in your calendar to intentionally rest and recharge in the busyness of the Christmas season- even if this is for an hour or two.
- Go for a mindful walk-in a nearby park or beach during your lunch break, after work, or on a weekend. As you walk, notice five things you can see, four things you can feel, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste.
- Intentionally schedule a time to do something you enjoy- a hobby, spending time with a friend, or reading a book.
- Plan a healthy breakfast or lunch to give yourself the energy to do what is essential to you throughout the day.
- Choose one small activity for you each day- some ideas could be having a cup of tea, sitting in the sunshine, or watching your favourite TV show.
Be kind and compassionate towards yourself as you would be towards a whānau member or friend- acknowledge there are often a lot of expectations put on us at Christmas time from society, our friends, and whānau. This year, there may be changes to what usually happens at Christmas for you because of different events or circumstances. If uncomfortable emotions or thoughts arise, know this is normal in this context. If you have someone you trust, reach out to them, or you can call 1737 to talk confidentially to a counsellor 24/7.
Tessa Hafoka
Health Improvement Practitioner
Mangere Health Centre Doctors
Conference Update
The PMAANZ conference in Christchurch in September was an amazing success, with more than 300 attendees.
We are pleased to advise that we have reviewed the results of the conference satisfaction survey, and we appreciate the time you took to share your thoughts and experiences. Your feedback is invaluable to us, we want to assure you that your voices have been heard. We are developing action plans based on your feedback to improve PMAANZ24 in Tāmaki Makaurau. We will keep you updated on the progress and changes that will be implemented. Thank you for your continued support and participation.
In October, I attended the AAPM Conference in Adelaide with both Mary and Karen. It was a pleasure catching up with Miranda and John, our Australian counterparts, who made us feel welcome. We have yet to get the opportunity to discuss any future conferences in depth. We enjoyed great keynote speakers Joel Selwood and Shane Jacobson, who had some fantastic content around laughter (something we quickly need to remember to do on our busy days). It was great to mix with other members and exhibitors; even though some of their products were unavailable here, we have similar ones. We walked away with great ideas to simplify and improve our conferences in the future.
I am pleased to introduce our Conference Committee members for Auckland 2024:
- Iain Watkins (Whangārei)
- Della-Maree Trask (Whangārei)
- Jessica Dodd (Whangārei)
- Ruth Mansell (Auckland)
Christmas is a time to celebrate with your loved ones, to share joy and gratitude, and to enjoy the festive spirit. Whether you are spending it at home, traveling, or doing something else, I hope you have a wonderful Christmas full of happiness and peace. You deserve it!
Jen Kaponga |PMAANZ Conference Convenor
Membership Update
Kia ora
To all the new and existing members of PMAANZ, I hope everyone has found our discussions over Messenger, Facebook, webinars, and the Christchurch conference helpful.
The executive team has just had our first meeting since the conference in Christchurch. It was great to meet our new executive members. We look forward to working together and continuing to promote PMAANZ throughout New Zealand.
It has been an interesting year with all the changes going on in the health industry. You all should take a breath and pat yourselves on the back for doing all the great mahi and getting through the year.
Christmas is just around the corner, and it’s my turn to have two weeks off. Yippee. We are hooking up the caravan and off to see our youngest daughter at Kawerau. We are even taking Grandma with us. We are all looking forward to having a break and doing some sightseeing.
I want to get all the gardens sorted before we go. I have managed to get the Christmas tree up and decorated. I must look for my secret stash of Christmas presents that I hide around the house. I have done this for years; if I see something someone might like, I put it in a safe place. My lovely girls always give me a hard time, asking if I have found everything. Sometimes, I don’t quite see them all until after Christmas, OOOPPSS.
I hope you all have a Meri Kirihimete. Drive safe and enjoy your time off. Until next year, ka kite ano.
Karen Greer |PMAANZ Membership
Education Update
From January 8th I am getting from 4pm on Tuesday and Thursday off so I will actually get a minute!
Cannot believe this year is coming to a close and that the holiday season is less than a month away!
Well done to all of you who have pursued some educational opportunities so far in 2023.
We are gearing up for an exciting 2024, with a planned roadshow in March. Watch out for our registration form so you can come along to this educational piece in one of the major cities near you. You will need to register quick as we are limited by the venues and how many people they can hold. We will, however, have a wait list for any cancellations!
We have not been able to host a dedicated education session for our members in a few years so starting off 2024 with a banger.
I wish everyone a safe and happy Christmas and look forward to connecting again next year.
Check out this Christmas nuts recipe which is a hit with everyone.
Hot tip: I use a variety of mixed nuts and omit coconut sugar for some brown/white sugar.
https://minimalistbaker.com/15-minute-candied-spiced-nuts-1-pan/
Niomi Fleming | PMAANZ Education
Treasurer Update
It was great to catch up with the rest of the Executive team in early November for our first meeting with the new team and start planning for 2024. It is such a privilege to work with an incredibly talented and committed group of Practice Managers. I look forward to representing you all in the role of Treasurer.
This year, for me, has been about celebrating being older and setting big goals, both personally and professionally. Professionally, 2023 has been about Resetting and Rebuilding. The team has really embraced this, and we have achieved many goals, both clinically and process-wise, to get back to delivering high-quality BAU services to patients in a timely manner – many of which we could not do during the Covid years. We have also had a huge focus on wellbeing, with staff being encouraged to set mental health and/or physical health goals for themselves. It has been amazing to see staff be accountable to each other, achieve their goals, and feel so much better for it. Many are already discussing what they want to achieve in 2024.
On a personal note, I turned 50 this year and decided to run a 50km trail ultra marathon in Rotorua in February and a 42km road Marathon in Melbourne in October. Why you say? – Why not? I say right back. It wasn’t about speed; it was all about not being limited by age and mindset. I had three goals: Get to the start, enjoy the experience, and finish with integrity. Although it was very important that I did the physical training, a huge part of it was being mentally strong and believing in myself. So often, we set ourselves up for failure because we don’t believe enough in ourselves, or we don’t prioritise our own wellbeing.
I highly encourage you to think about what mental or physical health goal you could set for yourself and then encourage your staff to do this. We are all good at putting others first – make 2024 about putting yourself first and achieving all those goals you never thought possible. You will be amazed at the flow on effects.
Wendy Harris | PMAANZ Treasurer
Communication Update
We know how much you value good communication. That's why we're always posting cool stuff on our social media. Whether it's Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn, you can find us sharing tips, news, and industry updates. Plus, our members-only Facebook groups are a great place to chat and network with other professionals.
We want to spark some awesome conversations, share useful resources, and help you grow your career. Follow us on our social channels to keep up with the latest trends and make the most of your membership.
We also want to keep you in the loop with what's happening in the industry and in our community.
Our member news page is where you can find all the important info, announcements, and resources you need.
We also team up with health partners to bring you some amazing content on our blogs, where you can learn from different perspectives and expertise. By checking out our member news page and blogs regularly, you can stay on top of the game and learn new things.
Don't miss out on these awesome resources. Stay in touch with PMAANZ and have fun!
Carole Unkovich (replacing Roshan Fernando, while on leave) | PMAANZ Communications
Wellington Branch Update
It has been a typical Wellington spring – four seasons in one day – hard to make plans for anything outdoors (unless you do it on the day – and even then, it isn’t always guaranteed that the weather will stay the same!).
Wellington members have not met recently, but we are planning a Christmas end-of-year gathering for early December at a suburban restaurant – the invite has gone out!
At least five managers from Wellington attended the AAPM conference in Adelaide in October. Informative sessions, great networking, and some downtime to enjoy the local surroundings. It is a beautiful part of Australia – one to put on your “life list” if you haven’t been there.
We will start 2024 off with a networking event and plan for the year ahead. The intention is to move the meetings around the region if there is sufficient interest. As always, I am happy to receive suggestions for meeting locations and ideas.
Thank you to those members who have made an effort to attend during 2023 – we all come away having benefited from sharing knowledge and experience (and a friendly, empathetic ear).
On behalf of the Wellington branch, I wish all our colleagues around the country a safe and happy holiday season.
Wendy Slight | Wellington Co-Ordinator
Nelson / Marlborough Branch Update
We are seeking a member of the Nelson/Marlborough PMAANZ branch to take on the coordination role.
Your involvement will be instrumental in furthering the objectives of our branch, and your contribution will be highly valued. This is a great opportunity to take on a leadership position and make a positive impact within your branch.
We look forward to hearing from potential candidates who are enthusiastic about taking on this important role.
If you would like to know more about what is involved in being a co-ordinator, please contact us and we can go through it with you or put you in touch with one of our other co-ordinators who can talk you through what is involved.
Don’t be scared of having to deal with finances or AGM’s, these are all handled by the Executive now. You just need to get together with the members for education sessions, catch ups, practice visits or any other peer support activities you can think off.
If you are interested, please get in touch by emailing chair@pmaanz.org.nz or admin@pmaanz.org.nz.
Newsletters and Publications
We are always adding to the page of NZ Doctor articles, and you can read them here:
https://pmaanz.org.nz/about-us/nzdr-articles/
We also have publications that might be of interest to you:
Movie / Book / Podcast Reviews
Movie review from Mary Morrissey – Resident Evil
I just finished watching the series of Resident Evil Movies.
These six films follow Alice (Milla Jovovich), a former security specialist and covert operative who battles the Umbrella Corporation, whose bioweapons have triggered a zombie apocalypse.
Great mindless horror action movies, not for the faint-hearted, as there is lots of blood and gore.
Book Review from Mary Morrissey - Nora Roberts - Risky Business
Dive shop owner Liz Palmer has made an idyllic life for herself in Cozumel. But everything changes when her employee is murdered, and his grieving twin brother storms into Liz’s life with revenge in his heart. Suddenly, Liz is plunged into the dangerous world of drug smugglers, and she discovers how impossible it is to resist both the mystery…and the passionate man trying to solve it.
Book Review from Mary Morrissey - Fire with Fire - Candice Fox
Following their daughter's mysterious disappearance, Ryan and Elsie Delaney have taken the LAPD forensic lab hostage and have given law enforcement an ultimatum: Find their daughter, Tilly, or they will destroy all the evidence they can find to other cold cases.
Detective Charlie Hoskins has been undercover in a deadly motorcycle gang for five years. With his cover blown, he has no choice but to find Tilly himself or lose everything he's worked for as the lab burns.
Lynette Lamb was a police officer—until yesterday when she was fired before her first beat. Figuring out what happened to Tilly is her one and only chance at rejoining the career she's prepared her whole life for.
Hoskins and Lamb will have to team up to solve this cold case and will have to move fast—before the situation explodes.
Podcast Review from Karen Greer
Well, while in the gardens or walking, I have been listening to podcasts on Spotify.
My favourite is Toni Street; she is amazing, and the topics she covers are fantastic. Now she has a Christmas Gift Guide. So, I recommend having a listen to her.
PMAANZ Administrator
PO Box 92 004
Faringdon
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