Syringe Drivers

Hospices play a lead role in providing education in syringe drivers throughout the health sector.  Following the decision by the Ministry of Health to phase out the Graseby syringe drivers  an advisory group, the Syringe Driver Advisory (SDA) group was established in November 2007 to facilitate the safe and smooth transition to alternative device(s).
Hospice New Zealand is included in the representation on the SDA.  Members of this group are:

• Jackie Robinson, Chair and representative of Palliative Care Working Party (Nurse Practitioner, Auckland DHB)
• Raewyn Jenkins, Hospice NZ (Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Educator, Nurse Maude Hospice Palliative Care Service, Christchurch)
• Bridget Marshall, Hospice NZ and Palliative Care Nurses NZ (Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Educator, Arohanui Hospice, Palmerston North)
• Teresa Read, Hospice NZ (Practice Development Advisor, Hospice New Zealand, Wellington)
• Rob Jelas, Medsafe (Senior Advisor, Compliance Management, Medsafe, Sector Accountability & Funding Directorate, Ministry of Health)
• Garth Blake, District Health Boards New Zealand (Project Manager - Procurement, District Health Boards New Zealand)
• Rachel Stockwell, Ministry of Health (Contractor, Cancer, Sector Capability & Innovation Directorate, Ministry of Health)
• Wayne Naylor, Palliative Care Council (Senior Analyst, Palliative Care Council of New Zealand)

The SDA role to facilitate the safe and smooth transition has practical, financial and educational implications. The SDA wishes to provide a supportive, rather than a directive role.

Recent Reports

Ambulatory Syringe Driver - update for Pharmacists

Cardinal Health brochure

DHBNZ Syringe Driver Eval Report - Feb 09

Eval Report - AD Ambulatory Syringe Driver

PCA Syringe Driver Report May 09

PCA Syringe Driver Report - Appendix 1 - May 09

SDA Updates

Over the past year the SDA has distributed regular updates to keep all interested parties up to date with the project.  You can view each update as a PDF by clicking below.

Hospice New Zealand Syringe Driver Competency Programme

The competency programme was developed in 2005 by the HNZ Education Advisory Committee which is representative of clinical experts in palliative care across the country and updated again in 2008. The training is available through a number of hospices, please to find your local hospice service

During 2008, hospice nurse educators trained 1564 nurses using the syringe driver competency programme - a 30% increase on 2007.

This competency programme is currently being revised to reflect the transition from the Graseby MS-Series Syringe Drivers to an alternative recommended device.