Specialists, midwives, physiotherapists and optometrists who currently refer patients to one of the three Auckland district health boards by fax or letter can now start using a web-based eReferral system in advance of electronic-only referrals being made mandatory in March next year.

The Auckland, Counties Manukau and Waitemata DHBs have made a collective decision to mandate that all referrals into their hospitals and clinics are electronic, starting in January next year for GPs and March for other healthcare providers.