Proposal to list medical devices

What we’re proposing

PHARMAC is seeking feedback on a proposal to list medical devices in Part III of Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule from 1 May 2019.

We propose to list medical devices supplied by: 

Consultation closes at 4pm on Friday 29 March 2019 and feedback can be emailed to alyssa.currie@pharmac.govt.nz.

What would the effect be?

From 1 May 2019 medical devices in the categories identified in the table above would be listed under the proposed national agreements for all DHB hospitals to purchase under, subject to consultation and approval by PHARMAC’s Board or delegate (“Agreements”).

The Agreements would not be for sole supply. DHBs would continue to be able to purchase other suppliers’ brands of non-invasive ventilation, patient warming and cooling, respiratory care products and surgical suction, chest and wound drainage medical devices.

The Agreements would supersede any existing DHB contracts with Gallay, Intermed, Jackson Allison and USL for the medical devices included in the Agreements. Any medical devices listed in the Agreements and purchased by a DHB would be at the price, terms and conditions stated in the Agreements, effective from the date of listing on the Pharmaceutical Schedule.

As part of the individual Agreements, each of the suppliers would provide appropriate education services that would be tailored to the individual needs of DHBs, in formats and at times as required by DHBs.

Pricing for the medical devices in the Agreements, subject to any prior termination of the Agreements, would not be increased without prior consultation and approval by PHARMAC. 

Who we think will be interested

• Suppliers and Wholesalers
• DHB Staff
  • Anaesthetists and Anaesthetic Technicians
  • Clinical engineers
  • Clinical staff involved with airway management and emergency respiratory resuscitation
  • ICU clinicians
  • Perioperative staff
  • Procurement and supply chain personnel
  • Pulmonary function specialists
  • Pulmonary rehabilitation specialists
  • Respiratory clinicians
  • Respiratory therapists
  • Sleep therapy clinicians
  • Surgical and general ward staff
• Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sleep apnoea or degenerative disorders requiring ongoing ventilation

About the medical devices

Non-invasive ventilation

Non-invasive ventilation products are used to support patients to treat a wide range of airway and breathing related illnesses, that are often chronic in nature, in both hospital and community settings. Non-invasive ventilation therapy is a patient ventilation treatment that supports breathing without the need for intubation or surgical airways, and can be delivered through positive pressure or negative pressure modalities. PHARMAC’s non-invasive ventilation category also includes oxygen concentration devices and respiratory gas humidifiers and their associated consumables and accessories. A wide range of clinicians and support people can be involved with patients using these therapies, including but not limited to respiratory physicians, general physicians, respiratory nurses, respiratory therapists, pulmonary rehabilitation specialists, sleep therapists, nurses across many areas, patients, their caregivers and family members. 

Patient warming and cooling

Patient warming and cooling products are used to assist regulating a patient’s core body temperature when a patient is unable to self-regulate their body temperature. Patient warming and cooling products are commonly used in surgical and intensive care clinical settings.

Respiratory care products

Respiratory care is a health specialty involving the diagnosis, assessment, treatment and management of patients with deficiencies and abnormalities of the cardiopulmonary system.

The respiratory care category includes oxygen delivery consumables and accessories, aerosol delivery devices and associated consumables, non-powered humidifiers (passive and bubble) and associated tubing and consumables, laryngectomy and tracheostomy consumables, spirometers and respiratory muscle trainers and associated consumables, breathing filters, powered and non-powered respiratory suction devices and associated consumables, ventilator circuits and associated consumables and flow meters.

Surgical suction, chest and wound drainage

Surgical interventions of any kind result in tissue damage and blood and other fluid loss. To manage this during the procedure itself, suction equipment is used to remove tissue particles and fluid to ensure the operating field is kept clean and clear.

Post-operatively fluid can accumulate within the wound causing tissue damage, infection, patient discomfort and delayed healing. To prevent this a drain can be inserted to allow fluid to be removed with minimal disruption of the wound site.

A drain is described as any material or equipment used to prevent the formation of a haematoma or to carry fluid or air from inside the body to the surface. Drains can be used with or without previous surgical intervention e.g. chest drains inserted at the bedside or placed in theatre during surgery. Drains can be classified as either open or closed systems.

Irrigation systems can be used to provide a steady flow of a solution across an open wound to provide wound hydration, to remove deep debris and to assist visualisation. It can be applied using a variety of techniques and devices.

Why we’re proposing this

In 2017 and 2018 PHARMAC issued Requests for Proposals (“RFPs”) for:

• Non-invasive ventilation equipment, oxygen concentrators, respiratory gas humidifiers and associated products
• Patient warming and cooling products
• Respiratory care products
• Surgical suction, chest and wound drainage

These RFPs were for non-exclusive national agreements for listing on the Pharmaceutical Schedule.

PHARMAC has been working with suppliers who responded to the RFPs to seek provisional agreements and these proposals are the latest to arise from those processes. We expect to consult on further proposed agreements with suppliers of non-invasive ventilation, patient warming and cooling products, respiratory care products and surgical suction, chest and wound drainage over the coming months. 

Details about our proposal

The proposal would result in the following Pharmaceutical Schedule listings:

Pricing has been made available to appropriate DHB personnel.

To provide feedback

Send us an email: alyssa.currie@pharmac.govt.nz by 4pm on Friday 29 March 2019.

All feedback received before the closing date will be considered by PHARMAC’s Board (or its delegate) prior to making a decision on this proposal.

Feedback we receive is subject to the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) and we will consider any request to have information withheld in accordance with our obligations under the OIA. Anyone providing feedback, whether on their own account or on behalf of an organisation, and whether in a personal or professional capacity, should be aware that the content of their feedback and their identity may need to be disclosed in response to an OIA request.

We are not able to treat any part of your feedback as confidential unless you specifically request that we do, and then only to the extent permissible under the OIA and other relevant laws and requirements. If you would like us to withhold any commercially sensitive, confidential proprietary, or personal information included in your submission, please clearly state this in your submission and identify the relevant sections of your submission that you would like it withheld. PHARMAC will give due consideration to any such request.