Enrolment

Policy

We enrol patients in accordance with current guidelines:

• Te Whatu Ora | Health New Zealand: Enrolment with a general practice and primary health organisation
• Te Whatu Ora | Health New Zealand: National Enrolment Service (NES)
• Ministry of Health: Enrolment Requirements for Contracted Providers and Primary Health Oganisations.

We enrol newborns in accordance with the Newborn Enrolment with General Practice Bill.

Ethnicity data is collected at enrolment in line with the Ministry of Health's Ethnicity Data Protocols for the Health and Disability Sector.

See also Patient Data.

All practice staff understand the importance of recording information correctly at enrolment to ensure eligibility, funding, and screening programmes are identified correctly.

Patients who have not had a consultation at the practice in the last three years are required to re-enrol. To re-enrol at the practice, patients must either sign a new enrolment form or confirm, through auditable contact, that they'd like to remain enrolled.

We only accept new patient enrolments if our books are currently open.

See Staff and Family Enrolment.

New patient enrolment

1. Check the patient's eligibility.

   Check:

   • the patient's identity, using documentation with a photo or other supplementary forms of ID.
   • whether the patient is eligible to receive free or subsidised public health funding prior to enrolment. Patients who are not eligible for funding may be able to register as a casual patient or visitor.
   • eligibility to enrol.

   Refer to Te Whatu Ora: Eligibility checklists and decision trees.

2. Ask patient to complete the enrolment form. Check the key details.

   Check that:

   • ethnicity question has been answered or patient has indicated they don't want to answer
   • all fields have been completed and form has been signed by patient (or by parent/guardian if under 16)
   • patient has given permission to transfer their medical records. If declined, this must be documented
   • patient understands how their information will be used
   • any interim charges, applicable until full funding is available, have been explained
   • the patient has agreed to the terms of trade.
3. Create a new patient record. Check Medtech for an existing patient record, and update if found. Enter all information from the enrolment form.
4. Enter the patient's NHI number. Verify this and synchronise with the NES.
5. Geocode the patient. This ensures the practice receives correct funding.
6. Link family members. Choose the lead family member and link any children to them.
7. Request the patient's previous provider transfers their records.

Once records arrive from the patient's previous provider, see New Patient Records.

Newborn enrolment

Newborn babies should be fully registered within six weeks of birth, or earlier if possible.

At GPDocs Model Practice we action newborn pre-enrolment requests within two weeks. After receiving NIR notification and/or delivery summary we enter the baby into the PMS, and set baby immunisation pre-calls.

If we are unable to accommodate a pre-enrolment request due to capacity or other valid reason, we notify the caregivers, NIR, or other referrer promptly. We then refer the request to the preferred general practice or PHO/other primary healthcare network where necessary.

For more information see Ministry of Health: Enrolling Babies at Birth.

Transferring a patient to another clinician at the practice

Patients can transfer to another clinician at the practice without completing another enrolment form. Ask permission for the transfer from all affected clinicians and, if the transfer is accepted, note the change in the patient record – and document the reason if appropriate.

Patients cannot change to a clinician who has closed their books unless the clinician gives permission.

Enrolment documents

• Enrolment form
• Patient information leaflet
• Practice fee schedule