Five more practices join PHO switch list

The number of practices approved to sign up with a different PHO has increased by five since a list was published in March. 

The tally now stands at 20 for this year, according to an update letter from Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora yesterday. Head of government services Sasha Wood writes that the 20 moves are occurring in three of the four Te Whatu Ora regions, with none in the Central Region. 

The list does not include the proposed PHO changes by Green Cross Health and Third Age Health in the Bay of Plenty, nor the contract termination notices of Tend Health practices to PHOs in the Bay of Plenty, Auckland and Canterbury. Tend has not stated destination PHOs as it wants direct funding contracts with Te Whatu Ora. The Green Cross and Third Age proposals are expected to formally arrive at Te Whatu Ora by the end of May, with a potential transition date of 1 September. 

Also not included are the 19 practices in South Canterbury that are in the process, at the insistence of Te Whatu Ora, of selecting a single PHO that all of them will join. For some years, South Canterbury hasn’t had a PHO, and its PHO functions have been carried out by Te Whatu Ora and, before that, by the local DHB. 

Tend has not stated destination PHOs as it wants direct funding contracts with Te Whatu Ora 

The shifters on the new list of five are leaving Comprehensive Care, ProCare, National Hauora Coalition (NHC) and Pegasus. They are joining NHC, Comprehensive, Auckland PHO, The Cause Collective and Waitaha Primary Health. 

On the March list of 15, practices are leaving Pinnacle Midlands Health Network, NHC, Mahitahi Hauora, Comprehensive, Procare and Pegasus. They are joining NHC, Pinnacle Midlands, ProCare, Comprehensive, Total Healthcare and Christchurch PHO.