Feedback is sought on the WDC’s name, the industry coverage, and the governance arrangements.

Further information is available here on the TEC website.

Please send feedback to policyanalysts@nzno.org.nz by 28 January 2021.

NZNO welcomes your feedback on a government proposal to increase the availability of employer-funded sick leave for employees.

The Holidays (Increasing Sick Leave) Amendment Bill proposes to amend the Holidays Act 1993 to increase the minimum sick leave entitlement from 5 days per year to 10 days per year.

The Bill keeps the current maximum entitlement which allows any unused sick leave to be carried over up to 20 days annually.

Further information is available here on the New Zealand Parliament website.

Please note that a NZNO Policy Analyst will collate members’ feedback into one submission.

Please send feedback to PolicyAnalysts@nzno.org.nz by 21 January 2021.

NZNO welcomes your feedback on proposed amendments to the list of specified prescription medicines for designated registered nurse prescribers.

The Nursing Council of New Zealand has recommended 60 prescription-only medicines it considers appropriate for designated registered nurse prescribers in primary health and specialty teams. The Council received suggestions for other prescription medicines that they have not recommended be added at this time.

The proposed amendments include new medicines for diabetes, respiratory conditions and antiviral medicines. Most medicines on this list are subsidised.

The Ministry of Health must consult on the proposed changes prior to making a legal change by Gazette notice.

More information is available on the Ministry of Health website here.

Please send feedback to PolicyAnalysts@nzno.org.nz by 21 January 2021.

NZNO welcomes your feedback on PHARMAC’s proposal to widen access to febuxostat tablets to include some patients at risk of tumour lysis syndrome (TLS).

The proposal would mean that funded access to febuxostat tablets would be widened to include patients at high risk of TLS who are intolerant of allopurinol.

More information is available on the PHARMAC website here.

Please send feedback to PolicyAnalysts@nzno.org.nz by 17 December 2020.

Earlier this year the Australian New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation endorsed an implementation plan to reform the food regulatory system.

NZNO welcomes your feedback on this consultation. Your input will help to define the broad principles and parameters for reform which will, in turn, inform next steps in the process. Topics include:

• challenges and opportunities facing the regulatory system over the next 20 years
• objectives and scope of the collaborative Australia and New Zealand food regulatory system
• aspirations for the food regulatory system and high level actions

More information is available on the Australian Department of Health website here.

Please send feedback to PolicyAnalysts@nzno.org.nz by 14 January 2021.

NZNO warmly invites your feedback on NZNOs publication: ‘Document Development Process’ which is now due for its 5 yearly review.

Your feedback is specifically sought on how effective this process is in achieving credible publications on behalf of the organisation and any opportunities for improvement in the process, specifically how it reflects NZNOs commitment to achieving equity for its members and those for whom they care.

The document needing review can be found below.

Please send feedback to sue.gasquoine@nzno.org.nz by Fri 18 Dec 2020.

NZNO welcomes your feedback on PHARMAC’s proposals:

• to change the way that multiple sclerosis treatments are funded, and
• to widen access to the funded treatments.

More information is available on the PHARMAC website here.

Please send feedback to PolicyAnalysts@nzno.org.nz by 14 December 2020.

NZNO warmly invites your feedback on a revised draft version of the standard for health and disability services. The document sets out the minimum requirements necessary to present fair and equitable health and disability services. It aims to improve the experience and outcomes of people and whanau, and reduce care variation. It reflects a shift to more person- and whānau-centred health and disability services.

Further information about the consultation is available on the Standards New Zealand website.

Nursing Policy Adviser/Researcher Sue Gasquoine will collate and submit NZNO feedback.

Please send your feedback to sue.gasquoine@nzno.org.nz by 5pm on 8th January 2021.

NZNO warmly invites your feedback on Aratohu tika tangata ki te whai whare rawaka i Aotearoa | Guidelines on the right to a decent home in Aotearoa.

The Guidelines address the unique context of Aotearoa and Te Tiriti O Waitangi, aiming to clarify what the right to a decent home means.

Implementation of the guidelines should result in better design and delivery of housing services, thereby supporting a healthier and more socially just Aotearoa for individuals, families, hapū, whānau and communities.

Further information about the consultation is available here on the Human Rights Commission website.

Senior Policy Analyst Lucia Bercinskas will collate all responses into an NZNO submission.

Please send your feedback to PolicyAnalysts@nzno.org.nz by midday 16 December 2020.

Short timeframe - NZNO encourages you to provide feedback on the Mental Health and Addiction Services Monitoring and Advocacy Framework. This framework will support the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission (MHWC)’s function to monitor mental health services and addiction services and will be used to advocate for improvements to those services. 

This is an important opportunity for NZNO to provide input into the fundamentals of the monitoring framework such as:

• Why monitor services?
• Monitor what?
• How to monitor?

Further information about the consultation is available on the MHWC website.

Senior Policy Analyst Lucia Bercinskas will collate all responses into an NZNO submission.

Please send your feedback to PolicyAnalysts@nzno.org.nz by midday 4 December 2020.

'The International Council of Nurses (ICN) is updating its Code of Ethics for Nurses (the Code).

As an important stakeholder and partner, we are seeking your diverse perspectives and nursing advice to ensure that the Code reflects and supports current realities. Given the current challenges the world is facing, nurses have a very important role in upholding ethical standards, human rights and social justice. The ICN Code of Ethics for Nurses provides a framework to guide and support nurses. It is for this reason that your input is so valued. Please take the time to read carefully and make your contribution to this important document. This new version of the Code has already undergone a full and robust review by members of the ICN Board, as well as an Expert Steering Group. 

We are now requesting feedback from ICN members, patients organisations, regulatory bodies, educators and other global stakeholders.’

• Code of Ethics - Version for Consultation: October2020 EN

Please send feedback to sue.gasquoine@nzno.org.nz by 30 November 2020.

NZNO welcomes your feedback on Ministry of Health’s draft Infections Surveillance Data Standard.

To support the ability to monitor the occurrence of infections or an outbreak by key organisms using an infection surveillance system, data needs to be captured consistently.

The draft Infection Surveillance Data Standard has been designed to identify the minimum information required to be captured for a patient’s health care encounter when a suspected or confirmed infection has been identified. This document covers infections identified in both the community and hospital setting.

Please find further information and the draft standard online here. If no feedback is received, NZNO will not make a submission.

Please send feedback to PolicyAnalysts@nzno.org.nz by 6 November 2020.

NZNO welcomes your feedback on Ministry of Health’s consultation on the proposed regulation of the home and community support services in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Developing the same regulatory framework for home and community support services, that exists for residential health and disability services, offers a range of opportunities to improve health outcomes.

Ministry of Health is conducting a two-phase consultation process. Further information about the consultation can be accessed here.

Please send feedback to Sue.Gasquoine@nzno.org.nz by 23 October 2020.

NZNO welcomes your feedback on PHARMAC’s proposal to decline 59 funding applications. PHARMAC is not currently working on these applications and so plans to decline them in order to provide certainty.

You can access the list of impacted applications here. If no feedback is received, NZNO will not make a submission.

Please send feedback to PolicyAnalysts@nzno.org.nz by 23 October 2020.

NZNO welcomes your feedback on PHARMAC’s proposal to transition the process for obtaining funded access to dornase alfa (Pulmozyme) from the cystic fibrosis (CF) Panel to a standard Special Authority from 1 December 2020.

The proposal involves the continuation of funding of dornase alpha for eligible patients; the main change would be to the mechanism of application for funding

Further information about the consultation can be accessed here.

If no feedback is received, NZNO will not make a submission. Please note the short timeframe.

Please send feedback to PolicyAnalysts@nzno.org.nz by 13 October 2020.