Getting devices onto the Hospital Medical Devices List
We are currently consulting on what devices should be on the list.
On this page
We're consulting
We want to know what medical devices are currently used in Health NZ hospitals.
Until now, Pharmac has added devices to our Hospital Medical Devices List as we have entered contracts for those items with suppliers. But, from July 2025, we expect the list to have all devices currently used in Health NZ hospitals, whether they're contracted or not.
Getting a hospital medical device contracted
Pharmac is contracting hospital medical devices by category. Previously, we ran category-based procurement processes, as we entered contracts with suppliers in each relevant category, we added their devices to the Hospital Medical Devices List. While we are changing how we list devices, we are still working through contracting devices by category.
Category information for devices
Suppliers should subscribe to ‘Pharmaceutical Management Agency’ on the New Zealand Government Electronic Tenders Service (GETS). We publish notices about future procurement activity and listing opportunities on GETS.
Changes to the Hospital Medical Devices List (including new listings) occur on the 1st of every month and must be agreed in advance.
What are national contracts?
Pharmac has contracts with hospital medical device suppliers (manufacturers and distributors) to provide hospital medical devices and related products for Health NZ.
All Pharmac hospital medical device contracts are built on a standard set of terms and conditions with relevant terms relating to supply and support services to medical devices and supplier.
They include a range of options to support local requirements and include terms and conditions for the use of hospital medical devices.
Pharmac’s contracts for medical devices are generally evergreen. Evergreen contracts do not have an end date. Some contracts will have fixed term components, for example price reviews and maintenance arrangements.
Benefits of having contracts
Having your hospital medical devices in the Hospital Medical Devices List ensures that Health NZ hospitals can consider your products for use in their hospital.
Health NZ hospitals can choose which devices they buy from the list without needing to run a primary procurement process.
How does the contracting process work?
In most cases, Pharmac will run an open procurement process. Suppliers will then apply to list their products on the Hospital Medical Devices List.
Once the proposals have been received, Pharmac identifies which devices to progress based on value and need. This may include seeking expert advice.
Pharmac then asks for feedback on the proposal. We ask Health NZ procurement staff and share this on our website for New Zealanders to tell us what they think.
All consultations and decisions
Pharmac considers all advice and feedback through various, advisory, engagement, and consultation activities. We consider all this information before making our decision. We then notify health care workers and the public to whether the hospital medical device will be listed..
Once agreed, Pharmac then lists the hospital medical device on the Hospital Medical Devices List, within the Pharmaceutical Schedule.
To support the implementation of the hospital medical device, Pharmac works with Health NZ and suppliers to support any changes associated with its use.
Who to contact
If you have questions about our hospital medical devices work programme, email enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz