SIGs are enabled by mechanisms within the PSNZ to share information, develop submissions and influence change. A SIG may form if more than five members support its formation and it is approved by Council. Once a SIG has eight members, more formal processes are required and a Committee formed.
For more information on each of our SIGs, please use the menu below:
The Allergy SIG supports paediatric services in providing allergy services to children and youth. The SIG develops resources to assist with the investigation and management of children and youth with allergic conditions.
Co-Chairs: Tom Townend & Annaliesse Blincoe
The Cardiology SIG is a network to discuss issues of cardiologic interest, principally in relation to medications and revision of guidelines.
The Child Protection SIG membership is open to medical, nursing and allied health practitioners who have an interest either theoretical or practical matters pertaining to the health aspects of Child Protection and Family Violence. Members of the SIG are automatically included as members of the wider Child Protection Clinical Network (CPCN). The CPCN is the overarching structure that aims to help us as practitioners to facilitate service provision in health in regard to child protection management. The CPCN has a workplan in regard to this. The Clinical Reference Group (CRG) leads the network and also serves as the committee for the SIG. The Clinical Lead of the Child Protection Clinical Network leads the CRG and also is the Chair of the SIG.
The Communication and Connection SIG collaborates across the spectrum of paediatric health care communication to improve the quality, efficiency and sharing of information. We focus on two streams: Communicating with children and their caregivers, and this is in support of KidsHealth, the PSNZ produced caregiver information website; and communicating between child health professionals.
Chair: Pam Henry
This SIG operates as a wider reference group for the Clinical Network for Child and Adolescent Diabetes. Members include medical, nursing and allied health colleagues from around New Zealand. It is a useful communication tool for information on Pharmac issues, service and workforce issues, conferences and training opportunities as well as case based discussions.
The Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition SIG provide a forum for society members with a clinical or research interest in Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition to develop policies and strategies consistent with the vision and objectives of the PSNZ. The SIG acts as a source of expertise on issues of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition. The SIG assists in the co-ordination of services to children and young people across the country suffering disorders of the gastrointestinal tract (through the development of the child health network). The SIG advocates for children and young people on all issues related to their gastrointestinal health at a local, regional and national level.
Chair: Andrew Day
The Infection and Immunisation SIG is an active group including specialist infectious diseases paediatricians, general paediatricians, public health colleagues, antimicrobial pharmacists, microbiologists, general practitioners and immunisation advocates. We have strong links with the Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC) at the University of Auckland who work nationally as a service provider and research organisation around immunisation.
The Infection and Immunisation SIG organises face-to-face day meetings for education and advocacy purposes covering diverse topics such as antimicrobial stewardship, new immunisations and paediatric virology; Run workshop days prior to the Annual Paediatric Society Meeting; Provide response to PHARMAC around appropriate access for anti-infective’s in all formulations for children, national immunisation schedule changes and funding for vaccines for special groups; Create Paediatric Society Position statements for example on necessity of universal rotavirus vaccine for NZ (2012); Feed back on MOH initiatives e.g.: National Sore Throat guidelines, Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy; and detect outbreaks of novel infectious agents in NZ by astute observations by members.
Chair: Hazel Dobinson
The Injury SIG brings together those interested in preventing accidental injury to children. By using our experience and expertise together we can influence policy, collaborate on submissions and share ideas.
Chair: Rebecca Hayman
The Nephrology SIG provides a forum for members with a clinical or research interest in general nephrology, dialysis and renal transplantation to develop policies and strategies consistent with the vision and objectives of the PSNZ. The SIG acts as a source of expertise for PSNZ on issues regarding the above and provides a further level of support for the established national network of outreach clinics and teleconferences run via Starship. The SIG allows input in both directions to improve coordination of the above services and advocates for children and young people on all issues related to their kidney disease at local, regional and national level. The SIG provides a medium to supply educational updates to those involved in care of nephrology patients.
Chair: Nigel Orr
The Pain in Children & Adolescents SIG supports a multidisciplinary approach to the field of pain management in children and adolescents. Encourage education and research in paediatric pain (acute pain, procedural and iatrogenic pain, and persistent/chronic pain). The SIG supports health professionals within New Zealand to improve child and adolescent pain management through advocacy, strategy, and planning. The SIG provides advice to the Paediatric Society on current issues in the field of pain affecting the health and well-being of children and young people. The SIG collaborates with the NZ Pain Society Pain in Childhood SIG, to best achieve joint goals.
The Pharmacist and Therapeutics SIG membership is mainly paediatric pharmacists across New Zealand but we do have the support of Paediatricians. We discuss current issues relating to accessibility and appropriateness of medicines for children nationally both within hospitals and in the community. We liaise with regulatory bodies such as Medsafe and PHARMAC to ensure our voice is heard on medicine-related matters to advocate for improvements in formulations, availability and funding of medicines for children. The P&T SIG hosts teleconferences 3-4 times per year with invited guests from PHARMAC, NZF for children and MERP where appropriate.
Chair: Louise McDermott
The PSNZ Surgical Special Interest Group provides a forum to discuss issues around surgical conditions and the provision of surgical services to children in New Zealand. The New Zealand Society of Paediatric Surgeons is the specialty’s professional group and this group works closely with the PSNZ to foster inter-disciplinary care. Specialist paediatric surgical services are based in four DHBs (CDHB, CCDHB, WDHB, and ADHB) but the burden of surgical disease in children is spread across the country. Moreover, children receive surgical intervention from a variety of surgical specialties in addition to paediatric surgery. These include: ORL, Orthopaedics, General Surgeons, and Urologists - in a variety of contexts. This SIG can act as a forum to facilitate dialogue around improving access to and quality of care for all clinicians involved in the care of children with surgical conditions.