National Intestinal Failure & Rehabilitation Service (NIFRS)

What is the National Intestinal Failure and Rehabilitation Service (NIFRS)?

The New Zealand National Intestinal Failure and Rehabilitation Service (NIFRS) is designed to improve outcomes for patients of all ages with intestinal failure (IF). The NIFRS is a national service provided by Auckland District Health Board on behalf of the Ministry of Health.  The NIFRS provides support to clinicians and allied health staff managing patients with IF.

The purpose of NIFRS

• Ensure equitable access to IF services for patients and their families
• Create standards of care and clinical management protocols for IF
• Improve communication and coordination of care for patients and their families
• Advocate for IF patients and their families
• Provide data that will improve quality of care for patients with IF.

What this means for you

Intestinal failure is defined as a dependency on intravenous nutrition (IVN) which is also called parenteral nutrition (PN). Any fluid that contains amino acids (excluding blood products) delivered intravenously is considered to be intravenous nutrition.

For patients and families: your clinician will contact NIFRS and will provide you with information on how the service will assist you and your clinician in your care.

For clinicians: more information about notifications, shared care and education resources are located under Clinical Information section. Please contact NIFRS for login details.

How NIFRS will improve outcomes for IF patients

• A register of all patients with IF will provide data that will inform quality improvement.
• A notification process for patients with IF. Notification may result in a virtual consultation, clinic assessment or inpatient transfer. It is anticipated that care for most patients will be delivered by their local care team in partnership with the NIFS, meaning the patient remains under the care of their home DHB wherever possible.
• A shared care model will help with communication between clinicians and patients. Shared care is structured and inclusive care which is developed in partnership between the patient, their family/carers and health professionals.
• National standards will help to ensure high quality care for all patients with IF.
• Education resources will be developed for both patients with IF and the clinicians caring for them.

For further information on NIFRS and the Clinical Guidance Information, please see our website: NZ NIFRS - Clinical Guidance Information
For access to the NIFRS Notification and Outcome forms, please find them on our NFRS Guidance Page: NZNIFRS Notification and Outcome Forms (starship.org.nz)

Who we are

• Mr Ian Bissett - Clinical Director - Adult and Colorectal Surgeon and General Surgeon
• Dr Amin Roberts - Clinical Director - Paediatric and Paediatric Gastroenterologist
• Cate Fraser-Irwin - Coordinator and Clinical Nurse Specialist - Paediatric
• Candice Gemmell - Clinical Nurse Specialist - Adult
• Andrew Xia - Advanced Dietitian - Adult
• Kim Herbison - Advanced Dietitian - Paediatric
• Amy Andrews - Advanced Dietitian - Paediatric
• Georgina Bidois - Business Manager
• Rajani Mutyala - Service Administrator