Pharmac Consumer and Patient Working Group chair Dr Malcolm Mulholland. Credit: Massey University

Pharmac announced it has completed the first 90-day phase of its 12-month Reset Programme, intended to improve transparency and engagement following external reviews of the agency’s operations.

The initiative is part of Pharmac’s five-year improvement plan, which began in July this year. “The reset programme will support Pharmac to be a more outward-focused and transparent organisation that values and actively engages with consumers and stakeholders. We’re focused on putting patients and their families at the centre of everything we do,” said Pharmac chief executive Natalie McMurtry.

The initial 90-day plan, which ran from 1 July to 30 September, was supported by the new 10-member Consumer and Patient Working Group, chaired by patient advocate Dr Malcolm Mulholland. Pharmac reported four key actions were achieved: advice on potential amendments to the Pae Ora legislation, development of a consumer advocate database, inclusion of patient impact data to strengthen future budget bids and publication of an update on progress responding to the 2022 Pharmac Review.

The establishment of a dedicated consumer relations team is in progress and will focus on maintaining long-term engagement with patient groups. Dr Mulholland said the group’s input had already produced tangible improvements. “We’ve already got some runs on the board in this first quarter and next we’ll be diving into the processes that matter most to consumers and patients,” he said.

McMurtry praised the group’s impact, saying, “They’ve been working hard and collaborating with Pharmac to help us improve how we work with patients, their families and the people who advocate on their behalf.”

The next 90-day plan will address the development consultation guidelines, embedding patient voices in clinical meetings, creating a coordinated communications approach with patient groups, improving the medicine-funding process and finalising Pharmac’s long-term vision and strategy.

Monthly progress updates and Consumer and Patient Working Group minutes are published on Pharmac’s website.