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PHARMAC Information sheet

Working at PHARMAC

Public good meets commercial interest

PHARMAC is a government agency (a Crown Entity), providing all the benefits of working for the ‘public good’. The nature of PHARMAC’s work also, however, 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 greater 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” – an internal goal we have adopted to ensure we maintain and enhance our organisational culture:

Karen Jacobs Project Manager, Access & Optimal Use “I joined PHARMAC in 2005 and apply my commercial marketing skills to PHARMAC’s social marketing; same skills, totally different environment. I work with some dynamic people. They bring experience and expertise from different disciplines within the health sector. “

Brian Roulston Analyst

‘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. High personal responsibility for outcomes. Providing highquality analysis to inform decisions. Management of processes. Being regularly in front of a Board of Directors. Negotiating with pharmaceutical companies. Conceiving of programmes and seeing them through to completion. Working closely with other health providers and patients.

“Pharmaceuticals are a fascinating subject for a statistician, with so many difficult questions and being able to explore data before turning it into information that helps find the answers. Often answering one question simply leads to more questions and that prompts some lively debates, especially because we all have such different backgrounds. I don’t have a health background, but I do understand statistics and analysis, and I like contributing to evidence-based solutions that provide good foundations for decisions. That’s very satisfying.”

Geraldine MacGibbon Therapeutic Group Manager “Yes, it’s hard work, sometimes with great frustrations, but I love my job! I can’t believe how lucky I am. It has such variety, and everything has a tangible and visible effect on New Zealanders. PHARMAC’s management and Board really listen to us, and show they have confidence. The only downside is that it’s hard to imagine where I’d go from here.”

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.

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.

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PHARMAC Information sheet

Team profiles

Funding & 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 & Optimal Use How do you ensure medicines aren’t overused, underused or misused? PHARMAC’s national focus, knowlege of pharmaceutical issues, and interest in spending the pharmaceutical budget wisely makes it well placed to lead intiatives or contribute to work by others. The nature of this work is influencing behaviours through education, increased awareness and campaigns that produce real results, including through implementing PHARMAC’s Māori Responsiveness Strategy.

Core business

Medical This team provides medical advice across PHARMAC’s operations, manages special access programmes (including Exceptional Circumstances) and manages PHARMAC’s relationship with PTAC (the Pharmacology & Therapeutics Advisory Committee), our main clinical advisory committee.

Analysis & 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 conducted by the team.

Support for core business

Schedule & Contract 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, working closely with pharmaceutical suppliers to do so and managing any out of stock situations that arise.

Corporate This team provides cross-organisation support in the following areas: legal, finance, communications, accountability and reporting, human resources, organisational development, office management, policy and records management.

PHARMAC is the Government agency that decides, on behalf of District Health Boards (DHBs), which medicines get subsidised so that they are more affordable for New Zealanders and available nationally. The subsidies PHARMAC sets are funded from a fixed budget that is part of DHB funding. PHARMAC also promotes the optimal use of medicines, carries out some procurement for DHBs, and manages special access programmes for some medicines. 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

Contacting Us

Call us on 0800 66 00 50 (between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday), or on 04 460 4990 (between 8am and 5.30pm, Monday to Friday). Write to us at: PHARMAC, PO Box 10 254, Wellington – we respond to all letters with return addresses Email us at enquiries@pharmac.govt.nz – we respond to all emails