Working with Te Whatu Ora

Harnessing our different strengths

The Government response to the Pharmac review reiterated that we should continue to manage hospital medical devices, given its strong fit with our capability. 

There is now an opportunity for Pharmac to extend its management of hospital medical devices and deliver greater benefits for the system. 

The creation of Te Whatu Ora, replacing 20 separate district health boards and multiple procurement agents, creates new opportunities. Pharmac and Te Whatu Ora can share responsibility and build on each other’s strengths to continue the work to manage hospital medical devices. Together, we have an opportunity to develop an integrated, system-wide approach.

Assessing the value and trade-offs for better funding decisions

Pharmac has particular expertise and well-established methods for assessing the relative value of health interventions using health technology assessment, expert advice, and prioritisation.

Enhanced category management and strategic procurement

There are opportunities to achieve greater value for money from standardisation or optimisation of medical devices already being used in public hospitals, for example, by leveraging competition to achieve the same health outcomes at less cost.