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EnglishWho can join the Paediatric Society of NZ and what does membership involve?
Updated
Membership of the Paediatric Society of NZ | Te Kāhui Mātai Arotamariki o Aotearoa is described as open to people involved with the health and wellbeing of tamariki and rangatahi across Aotearoa. If your work or role touches child and youth health — clinical, nursing, allied health, research, policy, community or lived experience — the stated eligibility is broad enough to include you. The site does not publish a fee schedule or a detailed list of member benefits on the pages summarised here, so treat the membership page as the place to confirm the current application process and any criteria before you commit.
What the Society says about who can join
The membership statement on the homepage is deliberately wide:
- Open to people involved with the health and wellbeing of tamariki and rangatahi across Aotearoa.
- The stated rationale is that "we all gain strength by working together to reduce the barriers between disciplines and geographical regions."
That framing matters if you are deciding whether you qualify. It signals that the Society is not limited to paediatricians or doctors, and not limited to one region or one hospital. The emphasis is on cross-disciplinary and cross-regional connection, so nurses, allied health professionals, researchers, and others working in child health sit within the described scope.
What membership involves in practice
The homepage describes membership as a way of working together across disciplines and regions rather than listing a benefits package. What the page does show is the kind of activity members are connected to:
| Area of activity | What it is |
|---|---|
| Child and Youth Health National Clinical Network (CYHNCN) | Brings together health professionals and consumers with expertise in child and youth health, working in partnership to improve outcomes for tamariki and rangatahi |
| Lived Experience Navigators (LENs) rōpū | The voice of whānau and community within the CYHNCN |
| Paediatric Epilepsy Training (PET) | Courses promoted by the Society, designed to enhance care standards for children with epilepsy |
| Annual Meeting | Includes sponsorship and scholarship support, such as from Wellington Hospitals Foundation as Principal Sponsor and Scholarship Supporter for the 2026 Annual Meeting |
| Advocacy | The Society has publicly called for an all-of-government approach on child poverty as a child health issue |
The PSNZ Strategic Plan 2021–2026 states an aim to improve outcomes for all tamariki, with a focus on Māori, Pasifika, disabled and targeted groups. If that direction matches your own work, membership is the mechanism the Society offers for contributing to it.
How to decide and what to do next
Use these steps to reach a decision:
- Check your connection to child and youth health. If your role involves the health and wellbeing of tamariki and rangatahi in Aotearoa, you fall within the stated membership description.
- Decide whether the cross-disciplinary aim fits you. The Society explicitly frames membership around reducing barriers between disciplines and regions. If you want to work across those lines rather than only within your own specialty or region, that is the stated purpose.
- Go to the membership page for the actual process. The homepage says "Learn more →" and "Join the PSNZ" but does not set out application steps, criteria or costs in the material available here. Confirm those details there before applying.
Important boundary to note
The Paediatric Society does not provide health care or advice for patients. The site directs anyone concerned about a child's health to:
- Your General Practitioner (GP)
- Healthline for free advice from Registered Nurses: 0800 611 116
- Emergency services: 111
If you are looking for clinical advice rather than professional membership, those are the correct routes. Membership is about joining a professional and cross-sector community, not about accessing patient care.