MEDIA RELEASE
 
Swine flu support line for GPs set up to help manage pandemic
 
WELLINGTON – 18 June 2009 – A national GP support line for all flu pandemic queries has been set up to help GPs better manage the rise in swine flu cases.

The helpline for GPs has been established jointly by the Ministry of Health, the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners and ProCare Health to provide GPs with dedicated support for queries and updates on the new influenza A (H1N1) “swine flu”.

This new phone line will be available to all GPs, beginning tomorrow for GPs in and north of Auckland and early next week for GPs in the rest of the country. The helpline will be staffed by College GPs from around NZ and ProCare, an Auckland primary health organisation, through the ProCare GP call centre.

Members of the public and anyone else concerned about the influenza should call Healthline on 0800 611 116, their local DHB’s public health unit or their own GP.

Minister of Health, Tony Ryall, said he was very pleased that front-line health staff would now have direct access to up-to-date expert advice.

“Once the focus shifts to managing more cases of swine flu in the community the workload for primary care is set to increase for a sustained period of time,” Tony Ryall said.

In addition to the phone line, GP-dedicated information and updates on swine flu pandemic will be available online at www.moh.govt.nz, www.rnzcgp.org.nz and www.procare.co.nz. An email address has also been set up to handle non-urgent swine flu enquiries.

ENDS