Pharmac to refresh patient advisory function

“Pharmac’s focus over the past year has been to make sure the voices of patients and their families are at the heart of our decisions,” says Pharmac Chair Paula Bennett.

As part of this work, Pharmac’s Board decided to refresh its patient advisory function to provide stronger input on Pharmac’s improvement work. It will strengthen connections between patient advocates and the Board, and ensure the membership, role, and expectations of the advisory group are fit for the future.

Bennett says patient and consumer feedback, including feedback from members of the two consumer groups, highlighted the need to reconsider the role and structure of its consumer advisory function to ensure it is fit for purpose.

A new Community and Patient Advisory Committee (CPAC) will replace both the current Consumer Advisory Committee (CAC) and Consumer and Patient Working Group (CAPWG).

The Consumer and Patient Working Group ran from July 2025 to June 2026 and was specifically created to ensure that patient experiences informed Pharmac’s 12-month Reset Programme. The Consumer Advisory Committee was established in 2003 to provide input to Pharmac’s Board from a consumer and patient perspective and was disestablished on 31 July 2026.

Day-to-day engagement on Pharmac’s work will be led by Pharmac’s new Consumer Relations team, working directly with consumer and patient advocates on specific issues.

“Together, these changes mean we can hear from people earlier and more often, so their experiences will shape our work from the start,” Bennett says.

An interim Consumer Advisory Committee will advise on the development and establishment of the CPAC, including its terms of reference, engagement approach, and implementation arrangements.

The interim advisory group will run for up to six months from August 1, with membership from Pharmac’s two existing consumer advisory groups.

The CAC members joining the committee are Georgina Johnson (co-chair), LJ Apaipo, Pui-yi Cheng, and the CAP members joining are Dr Malcolm Mulholland (co-chair), Tim Edmonds, Chris Higgins, and Tracy Tierney.

Georgina Johnson says the refreshed committee is an opportunity to strengthen the role of consumer voices in Pharmac’s work.

“This is a chance to build on the foundations of consumer involvement at Pharmac and ensure patient and whānau voices are heard earlier, more clearly, and with a stronger connection to the Board and decision-making.”

Dr Malcolm Mulholland says that it is encouraging to see Pharmac strengthening its commitment to consumer engagement.

“Over the past year, we’ve seen the value of bringing lived experience into Pharmac’s improvement work. The new approach creates an opportunity for patient voices to continue shaping change and will help ensure Pharmac remains connected to the communities it serves.”

Pharmac will begin recruiting members for the new Community and Patient Advisory Committee (CPAC) in October, with the committee expected to be established in the New Year. To find out more or register your interest, email cac@pharmac.govt.nz