Hepatitis B for health professionals
The Hepatitis Foundation of New Zealand (HFNZ) is a charitable trust, contracted to Health New Zealand to provide a health monitoring programme that supports people living with hepatitis B.
What do we deliver?
Our free, lifelong, national monitoring programme is for all people living with hepatitis B in New Zealand to help improve health outcomes. People enrolled in this programme receive regular monitoring, education, support and referral to secondary care (if required).
We work in partnership with GP clinics and other health providers to support the ongoing care of their patients living with hepatitis B.
How do we deliver this?
HFNZ keep GPs informed of patient management, through letters and copies of results. We ask that you copy us into any investigations or results relating to the management of hepatitis B; LFT’s, hepatitis serology, AFP, liver ultrasounds that you might request.
GPs can refer patients to us:
via phone
by printing and completing a patient referral form and returning it to us
via post, fax or email (we have compliant MoH IT security and firewalls), or electronically via CareSelect, HealthLink (our EDI is NZhepfnd), Best Practice or Medtech Outbox.
We provide enrolled patients with:
Blood tests six-monthly (or as required)
Clinical oversight
Education
Support
Home visits if required
Free testing of other family members
We have developed a resource just for Health Professionals on the Management of Hepatitis B. You can download it here or request hard copies by emailing hepteam@hfnz.nz
Screening for Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B high-risk factors
Anyone over 35 years of age unless they have been fully vaccinated.
Especially Māori, Pacific Island or Asian ethnicity
Born outside New Zealand, from a high risk country
Have a mother or close family member with hepatitis B
Live with someone who has hepatitis B
Have ever had unprotected sexual contact with a person living with hepatitis B
Have ever injected drugs
Have received a tattoo using unsterilised equipment
Natural history of chronic hepatitis B
Chronic hepatitis B can be hard to detect as many people with the virus have no symptoms until the liver is damaged. This is why regular blood tests are so important, even for patients who feel well.
As a part of the HFNZ services, our specialist nurses triage patients with abnormal blood test results and our Clinical Specialists will refer patients to secondary care for further investigations and/or commence treatment when deemed necessary. GPs can also commence treatment - read more about tests and treatment here.
Find us
61 Alexander Avenue, Whakatāne 3120
New Zealand
Or mail: PO Box 647, Whakatāne
Tel: 0800 33 20 10
Fax: 07 307 1266
THINK YOU ARE AT RISK?
GET IN TOUCH WITH US AT
0800 33 20 10
You can also send us an email at: hepteam@hfnz.nz