Source: PHARMAC
With February marking one year since publication of the Consumer Engagement Workshop Report, it’s a good time to reflect on the positive progress being made to transform Pharmac’s relationship with stakeholders through the Reset Programme.
The report captured the feedback of consumers who had earlier shared their experiences engaging with Pharmac. A clear theme was the need for the organisation to completely reset its approach to consumer and patient engagement to rebuild trust and credibility.
Recommendations from the report also led to establishment of the Consumer and Patient Working Group, chaired by Dr Malcolm Mulholland.
“We’re extremely grateful to have this group providing their insights to help us improve the way we engage with consumers and to make that sure we reflect their needs and perspectives when delivering our work,” says Pharmac Chief Executive, Natalie McMurtry. “This is also supported by the work being done by the existing statutory Consumer Advisory Committee.”
Some of the key milestones achieved by the Reset Programme and its partners to date include:
- Establishment of the Consumer and Patient Working Group to support the design and delivery of the 12-month Reset Programme
- Building a centralised consumer database to support improved engagement
- Creation of a dedicated Consumer Relations Team to strengthen Pharmac’s relationships with consumer and patient groups
- Feedback from the Consumer and Patient Working Group incorporated into budget information to better demonstrate patient impact
- Ongoing improvements to the medicines funding application process to ensure a better experience for consumers.
- Multiple workshops held with the Consumer and Patient Working Group to shape the future 4-year improvement workplan.
Looking ahead, a key focus for the Consumer and Patient Working Group and the Reset Programme is helping to create a Consumer Engagement Framework.
This framework will explain when and how we ask for consumer feedback, how we use people’s insights in our decision-making, and how we intend keep people updated on progress. It’s about making sure consumer voices are included in a consistent, reliable way – both in our future improvement work and in our everyday processes.
The framework will also help ensure a smooth transition once the Reset Programme and the Consumer and Patient Working Group finish on 30 June this year, ensuring that consumer perspectives continue to shape our work in a strong and practical way.