Pharmac Strengthens Patient Voice with New Advisory Committee

According to Seymour, Pharmac has spent the past year reshaping its relationship with patients after introducing new leadership and a long-term improvement programme.

New Zealand's medicines funding agency Pharmac is taking another step to strengthen patient involvement by creating a new Community and Patient Advisory Committee (CPAC), a move the Government says will give consumers a stronger role in shaping decisions that affect access to medicines and healthcare.

Associate Health Minister David Seymour said the new committee reflects a major shift in the way Pharmac works with patients, replacing the existing Consumer Advisory Committee and the Consumer and Patient Working Group with a single body focused on meaningful community engagement.

New Committee to Build on Recent Progress

According to Seymour, Pharmac has spent the past year reshaping its relationship with patients after introducing new leadership and a long-term improvement programme. Reviews, workshops and discussions with patient groups helped shape a five-year strategy designed to improve the organisation's culture and the way it connects with New Zealanders.

He said the first year of that programme has already changed the relationship between Pharmac and the patient community, with consumers playing a more active role in discussions instead of feeling excluded from the decision-making process.

Earlier Engagement Becomes the New Focus

Pharmac will also strengthen everyday communication through its Consumer Relations team, which will work directly with consumer advocates and patient organisations on specific issues throughout the year. Officials say this approach will allow concerns to be raised earlier, giving patients more opportunities to contribute before key decisions are made.

An interim Consumer Advisory Committee has been established to oversee the transition and help design the new committee's terms of reference, engagement model and implementation process before CPAC becomes fully operational.

The interim committee will be co-chaired by Georgina Johnson and Dr Malcolm Mulholland. Other members include LJ Apaipo, Pui-yi Cheng, Tim Edmonds, Chris Higgins and Tracy Tierney.

Recruitment Starts in October

Pharmac plans to begin recruiting members for the Community and Patient Advisory Committee in October, with the permanent committee expected to be in place early next year. People interested in joining or learning more can register their interest through Pharmac.

The Government says stronger patient engagement is being matched by increased investment in medicine funding. Pharmac has received a record four-year budget of NZ$6.294 billion, including a NZ$604 million funding increase. Since December 2023, the agency has funded 48 new medicines and expanded access to 88 existing treatments, with an estimated 767,000 New Zealanders expected to benefit during the first year of funding.