Source: New Zealand Government
Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Pharmac David Seymour, and Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Rural Health Matt Doocey welcome Pharmac’s proposal to fund access to seven medicines for rural emergency care.
If approved, from 1 March 2026, the following medicines would be funded for use in rural emergency care:
- Primary Response in Medical Emergency (PRIME) services: droperidol, glucose (5% 100ml bag and 10% 500ml bag), ketamine, methoxyflurane, intravenous tranexamic acid, and enoxaparin 100mg.
- Home births: intravenous tranexamic acid for postpartum haemorrhage.
“Faster access to emergency care is important to people living in rural New Zealand, where ambulances can take longer to arrive and hospitals may be further away,” Mr Seymour says.
“This proposal seeks to equip rural GPs, nurses, and midwives with the same treatments for trauma and medical emergencies as hospitals and ambulances.
“Pharmac is working with Health NZ, ACC, ambulance services, rural GPs, and midwives to understand how the proposed changes would work in practice. This will help ensure the proposal is practical, equitable, and improves emergency care across New Zealand.
“We’re making the system work better for the people it serves. This is another step in our plan to ensure can New Zealanders get the right care, in the right place, when they need it.
“Now Pharmac wants to hear from you.”
Consultation on the proposal will open on Monday 1 December and close at 5pm on Friday 19 December. Submissions can be made here: Improving access to treatments in the community for trauma and medical emergencies
Mr Doocey says delivering faster, better access to care across New Zealand, no matter where people live, has been a focus of this Government.
“We want all New Zealanders to be able to access the emergency care they need, when they need it. That’s why it’s so important that GPs, nurses, and midwives in rural communities have access to the same emergency medicines as hospitals and ambulance teams,” Mr Doocey says.
“We’re building a health system where location is not a barrier. That’s also why we’re updating the way GP clinics are funded, with the new formula including rurality as a factor to ensure clinics in rural areas are better supported and funding goes where it’s needed most.
“Combined with improved access to emergency medicines, these changes will strengthen both everyday and urgent care in rural communities, ease pressure on hospitals, and make sure patients get the care they need, when and where they need it.”
Please find more information on the proposal here: Improving access to treatments in the community for trauma and medical emergencies
