Staff Reporter
Auckland, October 8, 2021
ProCare, New Zealand’s largest network of primary healthcare professionals, has joined the growing number of organisations calling for all frontline healthcare workers to be vaccinated.
Group Chief Executive Bindi Norwell said that ProCare is keen to see all frontline workers vaccinated and protect medical professionals and the patients visiting them.
Ultimately, it is about doing everything to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and ensure that New Zealand can return to a sense of ‘normality’ as quickly as possible.
“Whilst infection controls, such as wearing PPE and streaming patients, are important; it is just one of the many tools that can be used to protect patients – especially for those patients that fall into the vulnerable category. In our view, when it comes to preventing the highly transmissible Delta variant, we need to be pursuing a ‘PPE and Vaccination Strategy,’ not a ‘PPE or Vaccination Strategy,” she said.
Feedback received by ProCare indicates that patients who are aware that doctors, nurses and practice managers are vaccinated have higher levels of confidence that they are in a safer environment.
“As we saw with last year’s lockdown, people are holding off visiting their general practice unless they feel they really have to which is not good for ongoing levels of healthcare. So, if patients know that any member of staff they come into contact with at their general practice is vaccinated, it means that they will be much more comfortable seeing their doctor or practice nurse about wider health issues,” Ms Norwell said.
About ProCare
ProCare is New Zealand’s largest network of family doctors (GPs), nurses and general practice teams providing community-based healthcare to more than 800,000 people across the greater Auckland region. As New Zealand’s largest Primary Health Organisation (PHO) it represents 167 practices serving the largest Pacific and South Asian populations enrolled in general practice in New Zealand and the largest Maori population in Tamaki Makaurau. For more information go to www.procare.co.nz
ProCare has created a ‘One Stop-Shop’ for anyone who has questions or concerns around the Covid-19 vaccination. This can be found on ProCare’s public website.
