2016-Jul 08: Contacting Panel Physicians

Visa Pak 267 - Guidance for INZ staff about contacting Panel Physicians when they are experiencing delays or issues.

Visa Paks

08 July 2016

Contacting Panel Physicians

 This article is to provide guidance on when and how to contact a Panel Physician if you are experiencing delays or issues.

Panel Physician Network

 The Panel Physician Network is managed by Immigration New Zealand (INZ) and Australia’s Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP). Both agencies have central Health Teams that are responsible for managing these networks. Any correspondence to the Panel Physician network from INZ staff should come through the Immigration Health Team.

Any complaints about delays by Panel Physicians should be directed to the Immigration Health Team so we can record the issue and gain an understanding of how the network is operating. Having the Immigration Health Team as a central contact point also means the Panel Physician network are clear on how to communicate with INZ when they have issues.

Contacting a Panel Physician

There are instances when a Panel Physician may need to be contacted in order to provide an update or submit a health case. In instances where the health case has been in an open state for over 5 days, you should contact the Health Assessment Team (HAT) first to see if they can resolve the delay.

If the delay cannot be resolved by the HAT then you should ask your client to follow up with the physician or clinic conducting their examination. Often delays are because further tests are outstanding, or the clinic needs to discuss the health case with the client before it can be submitted. INZ staff should not correspond directly with Panel Physicians.

If INZ needs to contact a Panel Clinic or Physician, you should email the Immigration Health Team, and we can approach the clinic on your behalf.

You will need to include in the email:
•The client’s name and date of birth
•The clinic where the client had their medical examination
•The client’s NZHR number
•The reason for approaching the clinic

Action

Please discuss with your team(s) and ensure that staff are aware of the above process for communicating with Panel Physicians.