A new approach to the responsible use of pharmaceuticals

Pharmac – Te Pātaka Whaioranga is changing how it promotes the responsible use of medicines.

“In the past, we have contracted one or two external providers to create educational resources to support prescribing practice in primary care,” says Pharmac’s Director of Equity and Engagement, Dr Nicola Ngawati.

“We’re changing our approach to focus on establishing relationships with a range of providers and commissioning work as needed.”

One of Pharmac’s functions, as outlined in the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022, is to promote the responsible use of pharmaceuticals. This means everyone is able to get the Pharmac-funded medicines that are best for them, and that treatments are prescribed and used correctly to provide the best health outcomes.

Dr Ngawati says Pharmac sees opportunities to collaborate further within the health and disability sector.

The new approach recognises that improving the responsible use of pharmaceuticals requires a system-wide approach that can address the wider determinants of health — the circumstances in which people are born, grow up, live, learn, work, and age.

“As part of our role in the health and disability system, we need to better understand and act on what we can do to improve people’s access to funded treatments,” says Dr Ngawati.

“We want to benefit from the views of others and work out together how Pharmac’s contribution – both through things we control and the things we don’t – can be enhanced.”

What we're doing now

The new opportunities we’re looking for include:  

• talking with health professionals and consumers in our specialist advisory committees, our consumer advisory committee, primary care, Health New Zealand, and Māori and Pacific health organisations
• making sure our activities reflect the priorities, work plans, and national activities of the health and disability system
• monitoring the results of our medicine funding decisions, to identify and follow up barriers to access
• evaluating our implementation activities to make sure they are reaching the right people, are fit-for-purpose, and help people to use funded treatments
• understanding how the responsible use of hospital medical devices can be incorporated into developing a project
• commissioning resources to promote the responsible use of treatments.

How you can help

In the next few weeks, we will be inviting people to let us know if you are involved in work programmes or groups related to the responsible use of medicines and which align with the Government's strategic priorities that we could work with you on. Likewise, ideas where we could influence positive change. 

If you have any questions about this work, please email enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz