ProCare

ProCare For more information on ProCare - please see our website: www.procare.co.nz

ProCare is a leading healthcare provider that aims to deliver the most progressive, proactive and equitable health and wellbeing services in Aotearoa.

ProCare is pleased to see the Government lowering the age for free bowel screening, improving access to early detection ...
28/05/2026

ProCare is pleased to see the Government lowering the age for free bowel screening, improving access to early detection and preventative care for more New Zealanders, but acknowledges an equity gap that still needs to be addressed.

The age for screening is expected to be lowered to 56 this September, following a drop to 58 years in March 2026.

Bindi Norwell, Chief Executive at ProCare says: “Keeping care in the community and supporting people to access checks earlier is always a win for primary care. Our teams in general practice are constantly looking for ways to keep their populations healthy, so expansions like these are always positive.”

“Previously, Māori and Pacific people have had access to free bowel screening from 50 years, which was a great equity move to support these communities who are often affected by bowel cancer at a younger age. Today’s announcement of lowering to 56 is welcome, but we want to acknowledge the gap in equity that we're still not addressing.”

Continued focus on equitable access will be critical to ensuring all communities benefit from early detection and improved outcomes.

You can read more here: https://www.procare.co.nz/news/2026/procare-welcomes-expansion-to-bowel-screening-but-acknowledges-the-equity-gap-that-remains/

Primary care has once again been left behind in Budget 2026, with limited clear, targeted investment to match the growin...
28/05/2026

Primary care has once again been left behind in Budget 2026, with limited clear, targeted investment to match the growing burden of disease through aging, the increasing complexity of patient care, and constrained access to secondary care.

While the Government has committed more than $33 billion to health overall, nearly half of that funding continues to be directed toward hospitals and specialist services, reinforcing a system that prioritises treating illness over preventing it.

Bindi Norwell, Chief Executive at ProCare says: “General practice is the front door of the health system – but it continues to be funded as if it’s an afterthought. Research has shown that for every dollar invested in primary care results in between $13 and $15 in savings in secondary care, so we question why primary care continues to be overlooked."

“Without stronger investment in primary care, we will continue to see pressure build in emergency departments and hospital services. We simply cannot hospitalise our way out of this.”

“We need a stronger focus on planned, proactive care that deliberately shifts services into primary and community settings, improving access, reducing waiting times, and keeping people well in their communities.”

While there are small positive steps for access, the lack of meaningful investment risks further pressure on frontline services.

You can read more here: https://www.procare.co.nz/news/2026/primary-care-overlooked-again-in-budget-2026-despite-known-results-from-investment-in-primary-care/

ProCare welcomes the Government’s $153.6 million investment in strengthening cyber security across New Zealand’s health ...
28/05/2026

ProCare welcomes the Government’s $153.6 million investment in strengthening cyber security across New Zealand’s health system, recognising its importance in protecting patient information and maintaining continuity of care.

“Cyber security is fundamental to trust in primary care, from both a practice and patient perspective,” says Bindi Norwell, Chief Executive at ProCare. “General practice teams handle highly sensitive information every day, so stronger protections are essential."

"Primary care relies on a wide ecosystem of digital tools, so clearer safeguards, stronger accountability, and closer collaboration with Health New Zealand will help reduce risk and build system-wide confidence.”

This investment should enable practices to keep their focus where it matters most – delivering care to patients.

You can read more here: https://www.procare.co.nz/news/2026/procare-welcomes-government-s-cyber-security-investment/

Protecting our communities against preventable illness is one of the most practical ways we can support our health syste...
24/05/2026

Protecting our communities against preventable illness is one of the most practical ways we can support our health system and ease pressure on general practice.

It’s great to see Pharmac consulting this week on widening access to funded flu and pneumococcal vaccines, including the potential to fund flu vaccines for tamariki aged 6 months to 5 years in 2027. This would make a real difference to the health of whānau next winter.

We'll be responding with strong support for this move to improve access.

A reminder that the current funded flu vaccine is available to people aged 65 and over, along with others who meet eligibility criteria, including people who are pregnant and those with certain health conditions.

Read more about the Pharmac consultation and the current Health NZ flu vaccine eligibility in the comments below.

Bindi Norwell, CEO of ProCare, recently attended the Digital Health Association Parliamentary Dinner in Wellington: a wo...
21/05/2026

Bindi Norwell, CEO of ProCare, recently attended the Digital Health Association Parliamentary Dinner in Wellington: a working forum that brought together MPs, Ministry officials, and Health NZ leaders for an open, practical discussion on health policies and digital transformation. The dinner was a great opportunity for people from across the health system and governance to come together and have grounded, insightful conversations about the future of digital health.

“It was wonderful to be able to take part in these key discussions and connect with others from across the sector,” says Norwell. “It’s integral we improve accessibility to primary care by making the most of digital technologies and services, so having an open discussion about the challenges, practical solutions, and collaborative opportunities involved is a vital way of driving positive change for the health system.”

Last week we held our second Owners’ Forum of the year, with another excellent turnout. We provided information on key t...
19/05/2026

Last week we held our second Owners’ Forum of the year, with another excellent turnout. We provided information on key topics like employment legislation, cyber security, and clinical updates. The highlight of the evening was an open panel discussion between attendees and presenters, which sparked insightful kōrero about cyber risk, AI use, policy changes and their impacts, and more.

Thank you to everyone who attended and took part in the open discussion. The questions and insights raised will help us shape our actions moving forward, and strengthens our collective voice in advocacy.

We’ll be sharing key updates from the night with all owners so our Network can be across what was discussed.

Today is ! Our General Practitioners are key members of our communities, providing comprehensive care to people at all ...
18/05/2026

Today is ! Our General Practitioners are key members of our communities, providing comprehensive care to people at all age levels, from our precious tamariki all the way through to our kaumātua in later life.

We understand that there are many challenges for GPs to navigate through: advocating for more funding, administrative burden, a constantly changing work environment, and more. Through all of this, our GPs have continued to ensure our communities receive consistent care and support.

Thank you to all of the GPs in the ProCare Network for the service and dedication to the work that you and your teams do every day of the year, to ensure that our whānau and communities can be safe and well.

Today we came together to recognise , a day to wear pink, stand up against bullying, and celebrate diversity, kindness,...
15/05/2026

Today we came together to recognise , a day to wear pink, stand up against bullying, and celebrate diversity, kindness, and inclusion. Our team connected over kai, enjoyed some fun team activities, and learned more about the day.

Everyone should feel safe, valued, and respected regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, religion, or cultural background. Pink Shirt Day is an important moment for us to look out for one another and reflect on how we can contribute to a culture of safety, kindness, and inclusion.

It’s Privacy Week – a timely reminder of how important it is to keep our personal information safe. At ProCare, we take ...
12/05/2026

It’s Privacy Week – a timely reminder of how important it is to keep our personal information safe. At ProCare, we take privacy seriously and encourage you to spend some time this week building your cyber safety knowledge.

The theme for this week, “Foundations of the Future,” emphasises how a sound knowledge of cyber safety is vitally important for the future as AI and technology continue to develop.

If you want to learn more, there are several useful free webinars being offered this week by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner. Access them here:
https://www.privacy.org.nz/tuhono-connect/events/privacy-week-2026/

Happy International Nurses Day! We’d like to recognise all our nurses for the hard mahi that you do every single day of ...
12/05/2026

Happy International Nurses Day!

We’d like to recognise all our nurses for the hard mahi that you do every single day of the year to support your practice and patients.

You are the strong backbone of our health system and are integral to ensuring our population remains safe and well. You work many long hours, fill several crucial roles, and continually strive to meet the needs of our community while navigating a constantly changing healthcare environment.

We thank you for your tireless compassion, selflessness, and unwavering commitment to helping others.

Been thinking about quitting smoking, or know someone who is keen to start their quit smoking journey? Smokefree May has...
01/05/2026

Been thinking about quitting smoking, or know someone who is keen to start their quit smoking journey? Smokefree May has just started, a great time to kickstart a journey to being smokefree, and you don’t need to do it alone.

Our FREE quit smoking service, Ready, Steady, Quit is here to help. The Ready, Steady, Quit whānau do amazing mahi to support clients to take charge of their hauora and become smokefree!

Check out their website for more information: https://readysteadyquit.org.nz/

You can also follow their socials on Facebook and Instagram for some great content!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/readysteadyquit
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/readysteadyquit/

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