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Pharmaceutical Management Agency

information sheet

Working at PHARMAC

Public good meets commercial interest

PHARMAC is a government agency (a Crown entity, a government-owned body that is part of the wider state sector), providing all the benefits of working for the ‘public good’. The nature of PHARMAC’s work also includes a strong commercial focus (negotiating contracts with pharmaceutical companies) and an emphasis on working with patients and consumers. That mix is quite unique and can make for varied, challenging and rewarding work. PHARMAC’s success depends on the quality of its people, so we are serious about being a good employer and continuing to make PHARMAC an even better place to work. We always welcome contact from people with a possible interest in employment. What makes it great to work at PHARMAC? According to our staff, it’s the ability to ‘make a difference’. This is an internal goal we have adopted to ensure we maintain and enhance our organisational culture: ‘Make a difference’ – We’ll make the most of our opportunity to make a difference for New Zealand, including through developing ourselves and organisational capability. It’s our people that make the difference, so we value them and the commitment and professionalism they bring. We also value our unique diversity: science, medicine, commerce, analysis, marketing… and more, including direct personal involvement in outcomes. This is all about the opportunity as an individual to make things happen. Features of working at PHARMAC that our staff say they like include: • high personal responsibility for outcomes • providing high-quality analysis to inform decisions • management of processes • being regularly in front of a Board of Directors • negotiating with pharmaceutical companies • conceiving programmes and seeing them through to completion • working closely with other health providers and patients. Our values - Our organisational values are defined in detail for employees. In broad terms, they relate to making things happen, effective communication, prioritising our work, and working well together and with others. We have picked values that we believe are central to our success now and in the future.

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Vacancies

Vacancies are advertised in newspapers, on recruitment websites, www.jobs.govt.nz and on our website – you can subscribe to an RSS feed to be notified when vacancies are posted.

Team profiles

Funding and Procurement This team manages the medicines funding process. Therapeutic Group Managers (TGMs) receive funding applications, analyse them and progress them through the funding process. This involves negotiating with pharmaceutical suppliers and meeting with PTAC, PHARMAC’s clinical advisors, to receive advice on applications. This team also manages contracting for hospital pharmaceuticals and other procurement work on behalf of DHBs. Access and Optimal Use How do you ensure medicines aren’t overused, underused or misused? PHARMAC’s national focus, knowledge of pharmaceutical issues and interest in spending the pharmaceutical budget wisely makes it well placed to lead initiatives or contribute to the work of others. The nature of this work is influencing prescriber and consumer behaviours through education, increased awareness and campaigns that produce real results. Medical This team provides medical advice across PHARMAC’s operations, manages medicine access programmes (including access to some high cost medicines, or where there are exceptional circumstances) and manages PHARMAC’s relationship with PTAC (the Pharmacology & Therapeutics Advisory Committee), our main clinical advisory committee. Analysis and Assessment This team tracks the level of expenditure, undertakes data analysis and cost modelling of the funding applications, and undertakes cost utility analysis to inform decision making. PHARMAC’s IT management is also located in this team. Schedule and Contracts Management This team manages the content and the publication of the Pharmaceutical Schedule (the list of subsidised medicines). A ‘helpdesk’ 0800 phone service is also provided. The team also manages pharmaceutical supply contracts and collects and distributes rebates working closely with pharmaceutical suppliers to do so, and managing any out of stock situations that arise.

PHARMAC Information sheet

Corporate and External Relations This team provides cross-organisation support in legal matters, finance, communications, accountability and reporting, human resources, organisational development, office management, policy and records management. It is responsible for DHB liaison and for compiling joint advice to the Minister on the proposed level of CPB.

Our people

The PHARMAC Board:

Chairman Stuart McLauchlan – Chartered Accountant, Chair NZ Sports Hall of Fame and Scott Technology, Dunedin Board members Kura Denness – Director of Tui Ora Limited, Hauora Taranaki PHO Limited, Te Aroha Medcare and other organizations, Taranaki Dr David Kerr - Clinical Leader Mental Health, Pegasus Health, chair Ryman Healthcare, Christchurch Anne Kolbe - specialist paediatric surgeon, and head of the Auckland Clinical School at the University of Auckland Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences. Past President of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. Jens Mueller - Associate Professor for Entrepreneurship and Strategy at Waikato Management School. * For details on PHARMAC’s senior management team, go to www.pharmac.govt.nz

Contacting Us

Call us on 0800 66 00 50 (between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday), Write to us at: PHARMAC, PO Box 10 254, Wellington – we respond to all letters Email us at enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz – we respond to all emails Information Sheets on various PHARMAC topics are available from our website: www.pharmac.govt.nz/patients/infosheets If you have specific areas of interest (such as consultations, committees or vacancies), visit our website and subscribe to news feeds in the area(s) of interest to you: http://pharmac.govt.nz/feeds