Pinnacle practice benefits

Pinnacle actively advocates for the interests of general practices through its involvement in national forums such as PHOSA (Primary Health Organisation Services Agreement) and PSAAP (Primary Health Organisation Services Agreement Amendment Protocol). These roles ensure that the voice of our network is represented in key negotiations with Te Whatu Ora and other sector stakeholders.

By participating in these strategic discussions, Pinnacle helps shape funding models, service expectations and contractual arrangements that directly impact practices. This representation ensures practices benefit from fair, sustainable agreements and remain aligned with national priorities while protecting local needs.

Pinnacle offers dedicated pastoral and clinical support to ensure the wellbeing and resilience of general practice teams. This includes access to experienced clinical advisors and pastoral care leads who provide guidance, mentorship, and a safe space to navigate challenges, whether clinical, operational or personal.

This support helps foster a positive practice culture, reduce burnout, and strengthen clinical confidence, ensuring teams feel supported, connected and equipped to deliver high-quality care.

Pinnacle provides regular webinars to keep practices informed on key developments across the health sector. These sessions offer timely insights into policy changes, funding updates, service innovations, and strategic priorities from Te Whatu Ora and other sector partners.

By attending, practices gain direct access to expert commentary, the opportunity to ask questions, and practical advice on how changes may impact day-to-day operations. These webinars help ensure practices remain well-informed, prepared and connected to the broader health system.

Running a practice comes with many day-to-day costs, and medical consumables and waste services are two areas where pricing and reliability make a real difference. Pinnacle has negotiated a preferred supplier arrangement so practices can access preferential pricing alongside dependable service and practical operational support.

• YesMed (PDF) (previously known as Amtech Medical)
• Capes Medical Supplies (PDF)

If you’re a Pinnacle practice using the indici PMS, you can access our Patient Access Centre (PAC) services at a reduced rate. PAC can support your practice by providing professional call handling and appointment bookings, along with optional centralised administration support such as patient recalls and overdue accounts. Our friendly, experienced team works as an extension of your front desk, ensuring patients receive prompt, courteous service while freeing up your staff to focus on in-person care.

For Medtech practices Pinnacle pay for the BPAC suite of tools that enable your practice to proactively know where there are gaps in screening/immunisation. These include the patient prompts and the BPI reports. 

BPAC also provide the common form that is used across all practices, no matter what practice management system you are using.  

Heidi’s AI-powered medical scribe automates clinical documentation and generates accurate notes in real-time during patient consultations. It also facilitates the seamless creation of essential documents, such as referral letters and patient summaries, directly from consultation notes, thereby freeing up clinicians’ time to focus on patients rather than on administrative tasks. 

Through Health Accelerator’s partnership with Heidi, practices can access Heidi at up to 42 per cent off. Different pricing options are available depending on your practice size and model. For more information or to sign up, visit this exclusive offer page on the Health Accelerator website. If you have questions about what option is best for you, or for more information about Health Accelerator, email contact@healthaccelerator.co.nz.  

Pinnacle is a shareholder in Health Accelerator, a collaboration between four of New Zealand’s largest general practice networks. Health Accelerator partnerships are open to all practices across Aotearoa New Zealand. 

HealthyPractice is an online business support service that gives practice owners and managers access to expert advice, practical tools, and a comprehensive library of guides and customisable templates covering every aspect of running a successful health business.

Through Pinnacle, our network practices can access guidance on business planning, HR, finance, management, compliance and legal, and governance – all backed by MAS’s dedicated business advisory team, who bring specialist health sector knowledge. Whether you need help with employment agreements, practice structures, risk management, or succession planning, HealthyPractice provides the resources and professional support to keep your practice running smoothly and confidently.

Pinnacle is pleased to share this mobile plan offer developed with Spark Health as part of their ongoing commitment to support and mobilise the Aotearoa New Zealand health sector. 

This offer is designed to provide Pinnacle’s network of general practices with a plan developed specifically for primary care employees and practices. 

Plan benefits

• For just $21.85 per month (incl GST), you'll get endless data and unlimited minutes and SMS to any New Zealand and Australian numbers.
• Enjoy 40GB of data at max speed. After that, data speeds will reduce to a maximum of 1.2 Mbps.
• The plan includes an Endless Hotspot.
• The Spark Voicemail App is also included with this plan.

Find all the details here (PDF).  

Interested to know more?

Fill out the Spark Health online form, and a Spark Health team member will be in touch.

As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting general practices within the Pinnacle Midlands Health Network, we’re pleased to offer a 25 per cent discount in indici fees for all network-affiliated practices.

This initiative is designed to:

• ease financial pressure on practices by lowering operating costs
• recognise the value of being part of a connected, collaborative network
• support sustainability and long-term viability of primary care services
• encourage innovation and continued use of digital tools that enhance patient care.

This discounted rate is already in place for existing practices using indici.
For any new practices joining the network, or existing practices interested in indici, the 25 per cent discount will be applied to the standard rate, ensuring they also benefit from this support.

This fee reduction intends to provide meaningful support and reflects our shared commitment to improving health outcomes and ensuring our communities continue to benefit from strong, well-resourced general practices. 

Interested to know more?

Contact Valentia for further details Kristine Lyall.

Aotearoa New Zealand is increasingly an attractive option for health professionals from overseas, offering a strong work-life balance, a community-focused healthcare environment, and the opportunity to make a real impact in both urban and rural areas. However, recruiting healthcare professionals into primary care remains a significant challenge across the country. While rural and underserved communities often struggle the most, many general practices within our network — regardless of location — are also experiencing workforce shortages.

Pinnacle has partnered with NZ Shores to offer a streamlined recruitment and immigration service for general practices across our network. NZ Shores is a specialist immigration and recruitment agency that assists employers and skilled migrants in navigating New Zealand’s immigration system, bringing a smooth and compliant process for hiring internationally trained professionals.

This is a member benefit exclusive to Pinnacle practices, providing significant cost savings compared to standard recruitment fees. Read more about this on our immigration and recruitment support resource page.

n3 have teamed up with Pinnacle to give each medical practice in the network the opportunity to join n3 and also provide practice staff with amazing discounts at New Zealand’s leading suppliers. 

n3 is a business buying network dedicated to making it simple for kiwi businesses to save money across all areas of day-to-day business. Plus, for our member practices, the n3 membership fee is fully covered by Pinnacle,  so you won’t need to pay a thing. Visit the n3 Pinnacle webpage to join up or if you'd like someone from n3 to get in touch with your practice to tell you more.

As part of the Pinnacle / Midlands Group, you are eligible to join the Pinnacle Midlands Southern Cross scheme which entitles you to a group discount of up to 8 per cent off retail rates PLUS new members to Southern Cross may be eligible for a further discounts on top of your work scheme discount.

For further information please contact Christina Neuhaus, 09 928 3088.

Pinnacle, through the Midlands Regional Health Network Charitable Trust, offers a Facility Development Fund to support practices investing in new buildings or facility upgrades. Eligible practices can apply for matched funding of up to $60,000 (plus GST) to support projects such as new builds, refurbishments, design work, and environmentally sustainable improvements. This initiative helps practices enhance their infrastructure, better serve their communities, and align with evolving models of care—particularly in high-needs areas. Applications are reviewed quarterly, with priority given to projects that promote equity, innovation, and community impact.

This fund supports Māori and Pasifika staff in pursuing further education that upholds the principles of Te Whare Tapa Whā, embracing a holistic view of wellbeing. It honours Te Tiriti o Waitangi and reflects Pinnacle’s commitment to growing a diverse, culturally grounded healthcare workforce. By investing in Māori and Pasifika health leadership, the fund contributes to more equitable outcomes and strengthens the future of primary care across Aotearoa.

• 2025 recipients
• 2024 inaugural recipient

Pinnacle’s annual Nursing Innovation Fund invites submissions from nurses across the network who are leading innovative initiatives that improve patient outcomes. This fund supports creative, practice-based solutions that enhance care delivery, strengthen workforce capability, and reflect the evolving needs of our communities. Each year, selected projects receive financial support and recognition, helping to foster a culture of continuous improvement and leadership in nursing.

Pinnacle provides financial assistance to support practices in attending the annual PMAANZ conference, acknowledging the importance of ongoing professional development and collaboration across the sector. Practices are invited to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to be considered for funding, which is allocated based on budget availability and a fair distribution among applicants. 

Each practice is supported by a dedicated Development Manager who provides tailored guidance to help design, implement and improve services and processes that enhance care delivery. Working closely with general practices, MHN teams, and external partners, Development Managers ensure initiatives align with practice goals and sector priorities.

Their focus on equity, quality and stakeholder engagement ensuring that improvements contribute to reducing health disparities. Whether it's introducing new roles, refining workflows, or supporting strategic planning, Development Managers act as trusted advisors, helping practices grow, adapt and thrive with confidence.

Our dedicated Helpdesk, delivered by the Practice Systems Support team, provides fast and effective virtual assistance to network practices. As subject matter experts in general practice business processes and tools, the team is your first point of contact for resolving general practice queries, supporting the implementation of new initiatives, and offering basic troubleshooting.

With a focus on practical, solution-oriented guidance, the helpdesk ensures practices can operate smoothly and confidently, knowing expert support is just a call or message away.

Pinnacle provides practices with real-time dashboards and a secure practice portal, giving them the tools to work smarter, not harder. With clear insights into enrolment trends, capitation, patient turnover, and ED visits, along with actionable details at hand, practices can optimise operations and plan with confidence.

The portal streamlines workflows: check claim status, reconcile payments, access remittance reports and payment files, upload documents securely, and view specific service claims, all in one place. Together, these tools save time, improve accuracy and enable practices to focus on delivering great care.

Pinnacle’s nursing team plays a vital role in supporting general practice through expert clinical guidance, workforce development, and compassionate care. Whether it’s mentoring new nurses, contributing to quality improvement initiatives, delivering vaccination programmes, or providing hands-on support during times of change, our nursing team is deeply embedded in the network.

They work alongside Development Managers and clinical advisors to ensure nursing services are safe, effective, and aligned with equity goals. With a focus on collaboration and continuous improvement, the team helps practices build capability, navigate challenges and deliver high-quality care to their communities.

The Pinnacle People and Culture team is only a phone call or email away, whether you need guidance on a delicate employment matter or want to take proactive steps to strengthen your workplace. We keep you informed of employment legislation and what they mean for your practice.

Our skilled team can also step in with tailored support for non-clinical recruitment, performance management, and training needs. If you’re looking to improve your HR policies and procedures, we offer a free and confidential audit to highlight areas of risk. From there, you decide what actions to take to close any gaps.

When things turn tricky, whether it’s negative media attention or a social media complaint, you’re not on your own. Our experienced communications and engagement team is here to support practices with professional, empathetic guidance.

We can help with holding statements, media responses, social media handling, and internal messaging. We work closely with you to protect your reputation and relationships while upholding your values and professionalism.

We offer new practices a warm mihi manaaki welcome – a chance to meet the wider Pinnacle team and get a feel for who we are beyond the key contacts you work with day to day. It’s a simple gesture of manaakitanga that helps build early connection and trust, giving you visibility of the people supporting you behind the scenes. This is part of our commitment to being a mainstream organisation on a bicultural journey and ensuring you feel genuinely welcomed into the Pinnacle whānau.

If you’re new to Pinnacle, or if you’ve recently renovated and would like your space blessed as part of our Pinnacle network, our cultural advisors and development managers can support you through the process.

EAP Services is a well-respected organisation, providing counselling and advice to employees either by face-to-face, phone or virtual e-counselling. Under the Pinnacle agreement with EAP Services, you, and the staff in your practice, are entitled to up to three FREE one-hour sessions per issue with a counsellor. This can be for a work related issue or a personal situation. The service is completely confidential and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. Pinnacle will not be informed of your contact with EAP. To access the service, call 0800 327 669 or visit the EAP website. Learn more about EAP in this video or see our Wellbeing in general practice page.

Download the new EAP poster, or digital tile, from the EAP Services website.

Pinnacle will provide assessors to assess you against the Foundation Standard which will be at no cost to your practice. This is a member benefit exclusive to Pinnacle Practices. Practices are still welcome to find their own assessor through the College website, but fees associated with the assessment process will be at their own cost.