The hospital medical devices programme

What is Pharmac doing?

Pharmac has a key role in managing devices. We are doing this in two ways:

• We are adding hospital medical devices to the Hospital Medical Devices List and negotiating contracts as we go.
• We are developing new processes that will be used to manage what is added and removed to the Hospital Medical Devices List.

Why is Pharmac doing this work?

In 2012, the Government directed Pharmac to apply its management model to hospital medical devices.

It made this decision because of:

• increasing and potentially unsustainable spending on hospital medical devices
• inconsistent access to hospital medical devices i.e., the hospital medical devices you can access may depend on what hospital you are treated at.

In 2021 the Government commissioned a review of Pharmac. It reiterated that we should continue with the hospital medical devices work, given its strong fit with our capability.

Our response to the Pharmac Review

The benefits of this work

The work that Pharmac is doing will mean that the hospital medical devices Health NZ | Te Whatu Ora hospitals purchase, will have nationally consistent terms and conditions.

Our programme will help to manage New Zealand’s increasing spending on hospital medical devices. By doing so, it will free up funding in hospitals for reinvestment in services and new technologies.

We are taking a long-term view and aligning how we manage hospital medical devices with the wider goals of the health and disability system.

Does Pharmac fund hospital medical devices?

Te Whatu Ora currently funds hospital medical devices.

Medical devices in the community

Pharmac funds a small number of medical devices used in the community. These are prescribed or ordered by primary care providers. They are generally used to support community medicines or care pathways (eg. diabetes monitoring, EpiPens).

Applications to fund them follow the same process as medicines. If approved for funding, they are listed on the Community Schedule, not the Hospital Medical Devices List.

Make an application for a device to be funded in the community

If you’re unsure whether the product you want listed should be in the Community or Devices Schedule, email enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz

Roles of other agencies in medical devices

Manatū Hauora (Ministry of Health)

Manatū Hauora has a key role in administering, implementing, and enforcing legislation, and regulations.  

The Therapeutic Products Act will see changes to the regulation of medicines, medical devices, and natural health products in New Zealand.

Therapeutic products regulatory regime - Manatū Hauora(external link)

Medsafe

Medsafe regulates medical devices in New Zealand.

Medical devices - Medsafe(external link)

Health NZ | Te Whatu Ora

Health NZ manages all health services, including hospital and specialist services, and primary and community care. It weaves the functions of the 20 former District Health Boards (DHBs) into its regional divisions and district offices, ensuring continuity of services in the health system.

Health NZ - What we do(external link)

Whaikaha (Ministry of Disabled People)

Whaikaha (Ministry of Disabled People) is set up in partnership with the community and Māori to transform the lives of many New Zealanders.

Whaikaha - Who we are(external link)

Who to contact

If you have questions about our hospital medical devices work programme, email enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz