logo
Critical shortage of neurologists as multiple sclerosis cases rise

Critical shortage of neurologists as multiple sclerosis cases rise

RNZ News4 days ago

Multiple Sclerosis New Zealand is calling for more governmental investment in specialist neurologists, clinical nurse specialists and allied healthcare workers to better diagnose and treat the growing numbers of people with MS in Aotearoa New Zealand. National manager Amanda Rose told Jesse the need is urgent.
Tags:
To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following:
See terms of use.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Rugby: Chiefs captain extends stay and targets 100 game milestone
Rugby: Chiefs captain extends stay and targets 100 game milestone

RNZ News

time24 minutes ago

  • RNZ News

Rugby: Chiefs captain extends stay and targets 100 game milestone

Luke Jacobson captain of the Chiefs. Photo: Jeremy Ward Chiefs captain Luke Jacobson has re-signed with New Zealand Rugby for another two years. The loose forward made his Chiefs debut in in 2018 and has earned 88 caps for the side. After making his All Blacks debut the following year, he has played 23 games for New Zealand. Currently in his second year as Chiefs captain, Jacobson has guided the Super Rugby Pacific side through back-to-back finals campaigns and is excited about what the team can achieve together in the coming years. "It's not just the results that keep you around - it's the environment and the team culture. Between the coaches, management, and the players, there's a good group of people here and they make it pretty hard to leave," Jacobson said. "I really enjoy my rugby here. I'm able to grow my game and grow my leadership. I grew up supporting this team and after playing with them for eight years, it's a team that continues to really align with my values. "I'd love to play 100 games for the Chiefs, it would be a huge milestone for me and one I would be really proud to achieve." Outgoing Chiefs head coach Clayton McMillan said Jacobson's leadership had been key in shaping the character of the team. "He leads with integrity humility, and total commitment to the jersey and that's respected by everyone. His decision to re-sign speaks volumes about the culture we've built and the direction we're heading." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

Auckland woman shocked by 'menopause consultation' fee for HRT
Auckland woman shocked by 'menopause consultation' fee for HRT

RNZ News

time39 minutes ago

  • RNZ News

Auckland woman shocked by 'menopause consultation' fee for HRT

Photo: Unsplash An Auckland woman charged $300 for a so called " menopause consultation" says she feels denied the medical care she needs. Carla asked her doctor about hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and said she was shocked by the fee. She was told she either needed to pay or book up to four regular appointments. "I mentioned I was keen to hop on HRT and she told me that I would need to make a separate appointment and 'I was like, that's cool, totally fine'," she said. "She then proceeded to tell me about the menopause clinics that they run and that is three back-to-back appointments at a cost of $300. And the math just didn't math to me ... because each appointment is $70, so 70 times three is not $300, so I didn't really understand how any of it made any sense." Carla told Checkpoint she knew of others prescribed HRT under much simpler circumstances. "When I said I couldn't afford that, I was told that I would then need to make three to four separate appointments to be prescribed HRT," she said. "It was just the fact that everyone else I know had been prescribed HRT with just a single appointment. I didn't understand what all the fuss was about." Carla said a friend of hers had been prescribed by the same doctor late last year and it was just a single consultation. She said the experience left her feeling "really diminished". Carla had considered finding a new GP but said leaving her practice of over 30 years would be daunting. She accepted if a doctor had concerns that would warrant a couple of appointments, but she said a single appointment should be standard practice. "That's not a problem at all, if it's necessary. But I just don't like this ... it just feels money hungry to me," she said. Carla said she felt taken advantage of. "Just the math not mathing with needing three back-to-back appointments and the costs being elevated because it's a menopause appointment," she said. "I thought in a normal 15-minute consultation with a $70 fee, you got the doctor's expertise. That's what you were buying for that." Royal NZ College of GPs medical director Luke Bradford said an in-depth menopause assessment does take longer than the standard 15-minute appointment, and many patients benefit from spending extra time discussing their options with their GP. He said the cost for non-standard appointments like this does vary across practices. "There are dedicated menopause clinics around NZ that typically charge $290 for initial 45-minute appointment and $120 follow up," he said. Checkpoint has asked Carla's medical practice and Health NZ for comment. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

Support for National and Labour fall in latest 1News-Verian poll
Support for National and Labour fall in latest 1News-Verian poll

RNZ News

timean hour ago

  • RNZ News

Support for National and Labour fall in latest 1News-Verian poll

Chris Hipkins and Christopher Luxon. Photo: RNZ The coalition could hold on to power, while National, Labour and ACT all lose support in the latest 1News-Verian poll shows. With small increases for New Zealand First, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori, the results would give the coalition a 63-seat majority, to the opposition's 58. Support for Prime Minister Christopher Luxon also remains steady, while Labour's Chris Hipkins falls slightly. Four parties outside Parliament all registered 1 point of support: TOP (The Opportunities Party, down 1), New Zeal (up 1), the NZ Outdoor and Freedoms Party (steady), and Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party (up 1). People saying they did not know who they would vote for, or refused to answer, accounted for 11 percent of responses. There were only minor changes on the preferred prime minister stakes, with Luxon holding his lead over Hipkins. Preferred prime minister: The poll surveyed 1002 eligible voters and was weighted for demographics, with a margin of error of 3.1 percent at the 95 percent confidence interval. It was conducted between 24 and 28 May. The sample for mobile phones is selected by random dialling using probability sampling, and the online sample is collected using an online panel. Undecided voters, non-voters and those who refused to answer are excluded from the data on party support. Polls compare to the most recent poll by the same polling company, as different polls can use different methologies. They are intended to track trends in voting preferences, showing a snapshot in time, rather than be a completely accurate predictor of the final election result.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store