Consultation begins on work to improve patient access to medical devices
Pharmac is continuing to improve the way medical devices are managed for New Zealanders, today opening consultation on its comprehensive list of medical devices used by public hospitals.
“Medical devices are essential to patient care. They support the health and well-being of New Zealanders,” Pharmac’s Director of Medical Devices Catherine Epps says.
Almost everyone diagnosed or treated at a public hospital in New Zealand relies on medical devices for their care. These devices range from simple things such as bandages and cotton swabs, to more complex technology such as pacemakers, hip replacements, even hospital beds, and robotic surgery machines.
Pharmac has been building a list of all medical devices currently used in public hospitals as it works to improve the way medical devices are managed in New Zealand.
The current Hospital Medical Devices list only includes medical devices covered by Pharmac’s contracts with suppliers. As of January 2025, this list had over 170,000 contracted devices from almost 150 suppliers.
“About 70% of the money that public hospitals spend on medical devices involves contracts managed by Pharmac.
“Now, we’re adding everything else used by hospitals to this, to create the comprehensive list.”
Making the list comprehensive, is part of Pharmac’s work towards a closed list for hospital medical devices, where public hospitals will only be able to source medical devices on this list.
Epps says that having a closed list will tell the health system and the public what devices are used and funded by public hospitals.
“It will mean that all hospitals in New Zealand have access to the same medical devices.
“By knowing what is in use, the health system will be able to make the best investments and long-term decisions about what medical devices need to be funded and used.
“Once we have a closed list it will give New Zealanders confidence that the use of medical devices in their health care is consistent, no matter where in the country they live.
Pharmac will consult on the comprehensive list from today, 11 February, until 31 March 2025. We’re mainly seeking feedback from device suppliers and Health New Zealand, but we also want to provide the public – and people who use devices – with the opportunity to share their thoughts about the list.
“We need your feedback to make sure this list is accurate and complete,” Epps says.
Pharmac will publish the comprehensive list on its website on 1 July, following consultation. Eventually hospitals will only be able to use devices from this list, but Epps says there will be further consultation before that happens.