Proposal to list medical devices supplied by GE Healthcare Limited

What we’re proposing

Pharmac is seeking feedback on a proposal to list anaesthesia, invasive ventilation, neonatal care and critical care patient monitoring (“Critical Care”) medical devices supplied by GE Healthcare Limited (“GE Healthcare”) in Part III of Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule from 1 February 2025 through a non-exclusive provisional agreement.

Consultation closes at 4pm, Thursday 28 November 2024 and feedback can be emailed to bela.jones@pharmac.govt.nz.

What would the effect be?

From 1 February 2025, GE Healthcare’s range of Critical Care devices would be listed under a national agreement for all Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora (“Health NZ”) hospitals to purchase under, subject to consultation and approval by Pharmac’s Board or delegate (“Agreement”).

The Agreement would not be for sole supply, with Health NZ hospitals continuing to be able to purchase other suppliers’ brands of Critical Care devices.

The Agreement would supersede any existing Health NZ contracts with GE Healthcare for the medical devices listed in Schedule 1 in the Agreement. Any device listed in the Pharmac Agreement and purchased by a Health NZ Hospital would be at the price, terms and conditions stated in the Agreement, effective from the date of listing on the Pharmaceutical Schedule.

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

Who we think will be interested

• Health NZ staff including but not limited to the following areas:
  • Clinical engineers and maintenance services
  • ICU/ HDU/ NICU
  • Nurses
  • Patient Monitoring
  • Perioperative staff
  • Procurement and supply chain
  • Radiology
  • Wards and Outpatient Clinics
• Suppliers and wholesalers

About these products

Critical Care

Critical Care devices are used in the provision of specialised, continuous, multidisciplinary care for patients in a life-threatening, but treatable, condition. The Critical Care devices can loosely be grouped into three categories:

• anaesthetic and invasive ventilation devices
• neonatal care devices
• critical care patient monitoring.

Why we’re proposing this

Pharmac issued a Requests for Proposals (“RFP”) in 2020 for Anaesthetic Machines, Invasive Ventilators, Neonatal Care and Critical Care Patient Monitoring Devices.

Pharmac has been working with suppliers who responded to the RFP and were successful in being progressed to contract negotiation to seek provisional agreements. This proposal is the latest to arise from this process.

Details about our proposal

Pharmac has entered into a provisional agreement with GE Healthcare for the supply of Critical Care medical devices. The proposal would result in listing 1405 medical devices in the Pharmaceutical Schedule covering the following brands:

Further information, including pricing and contractual details, has been provided to Health NZ Procurement personnel. Clinicians interested in further detail on what this change means for their hospital should engage with their Procurement teams.

To provide feedback

Send us an email: bela.jones@pharmac.govt.nz by 4pm, Thursday 28 November 2024.

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.

Your feedback may be shared

Feedback we receive is subject to the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). Please be aware that we may need to share your feedback, including your identity, in response to an OIA request. This applies to anyone providing feedback, whether they are providing feedback themselves or for an organisation, in a personal or professional capacity.

We can only keep feedback confidential as allowed under the OIA and other related laws. If you want any part of your feedback treated as confidential, you need to tell us. Please let us know if you want to keep part of your feedback confidential, and why. Is it commercially sensitive, confidential or proprietary, or personal information? Clearly state this and tell us which parts of your feedback you want to keep confidential for these reasons. We will consider your request under our OIA requirements.