Decision to list medical devices supplied by Essential Helpcare, PIPA by EH and Permobil New Zealand Limited

What we’re doing

We are pleased to announce the approval of listings agreements with:

• AH Essential Limited t/a Essential Helpcare (“Essential”);
• Essential HC Limited t/a PIPA by EH (“PIPA”); and
• Permobil New Zealand Limited (“Permobil”).

In summary this will result in:

• Listing beds and mattresses supplied by Essential, PIPA and Permobil in Part III of Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule from 1 July 2021;
• Listing rehabilitation equipment, patient positioning products and supports (“rehabilitation products”) supplied by Essential and PIPA in Part III of Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule from 1 July 2021;
• national agreements with Essential, PIPA and Permobil for the above-mentioned categories that all DHBs may purchase under (“Agreements”); and
• DHBs being able to continue to purchase other suppliers’ brands of beds and mattresses, and rehabilitation products as the Agreements are not for sole supply.

Any changes to the original proposals?

This decision was subject to a consultation letters:

• Essential and PIPA 6 May 2021;
• Permobil 13 May 2021.

There have been no changes made to the proposals following consultation.

Who we think will be most interested

• Suppliers and wholesalers
• DHB staff
  • Clinical engineers, maintenance services and facilities staff
  • Clinical support staff
  • DHB loan store staff
  • DHB procurement and supply chain
  • Geriatricians
  • Neurologists and Neurosurgeons
  • Nurses
  • Occupational therapists
  • Orthopaedic surgeons
  • Orthotists
  • Paediatricians
  • Physiotherapists
  • Podiatrists
  • Rehabilitation physicians (including spinal units)
  • Speech-language therapists

Details about this decision

In 2018 PHARMAC issued a Request for Proposals (“RFP”) for supply of rehabilitation equipment, patient positioning products and supports.

The RFP was for non-exclusive national agreements for listing on the Pharmaceutical Schedule.

In coordination with PHARMAC, NZ Health Partnerships (“NZHP”) has previously released RFPs for ranges of medical devices which PHARMAC may list on the Pharmaceutical Schedule. NZHP released an RFP for beds and mattresses in December 2018.

In September 2020, PHARMAC released an ROI as an opportunity for suppliers to have beds and mattresses considered for listing on the Pharmaceutical Schedule.

After completing the evaluation process and consulting on the provisional Agreements reached with Essential, PIPA and Permobil PHARMAC has decided to list the medical devices in Part III of Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule from 1 July 2021.

The list of products will be available on PHARMAC's website from 1 July 2021, in both PDF and Excel formats.

DHBs can continue to choose which beds and mattresses, and rehabilitation products they purchase, including those from other suppliers. DHBs that purchase these products from Essential, PIPA or Permobil must do so under the terms and conditions, including pricing, in the PHARMAC Agreements from 1 July 2021.

The Agreements includes terms and conditions for training and education to be provided by Essential, PIPA and Permobil on the appropriate use of their beds and mattresses, and rehabilitation products which is to be provided at times and in formats as agreed with individual DHBs.

Our response to what you told us

We appreciate the time people took to respond to this consultation.

All consultation responses received by the closing dates were considered in their entirety in making the decision to list medical devices supplied by Essential, PIPA and Permobil.

A summary of the main themes raised in feedback and our responses to the feedback are set out below:

If you have any questions about this decision, you can email us at enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz; or call our toll free number (9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday) on 0800 66 00 50.