Pacific action plan
STAGE 1: Planting the seed (2017 to 2019) – year by year
By the end of 2017
| Influence | Priorities | Actions |
|---|---|---|
| COMMUNITY | Building relationships to develop trust and to demonstrate an ongoing commitment to Pacific communities | Engage with Pacific peoples and the health workforce to identify the areas of health need that are most important across Pacific communities |
| Ensure an appropriate level of resourcing to implement the strategy | ||
| ORGANISATION | Increasing our awareness, capability and knowledge of Pacific peoples to strengthen PHARMAC’s Pacific responsiveness work | Incorporate the development of cultural awareness/ competence (including of Pacific) into staff career advancement templates and professional development resources |
| Develop a Pacific Champions group who will champion the Strategy within PHARMAC to ensure a cross-organisation response | ||
| Introducing a Pacific focus to the way we work at PHARMAC | Enhance PHARMAC’s induction of new staff to include an overview of the Pacific Responsiveness Strategy and medicines access for Pacific people | |
| Further develop skills and knowledge within PHARMAC to ensure an understanding of Pacific culture, perspectives and health data is accurately taken into account under the Factors for Consideration ‘population groups experiencing health disparities’ for all funding decisions | ||
| SYSTEM | Actively working with others to reduce cultural, system and language barriers to medicines use and access | Support the formation of a Pacific pharmacist group to further enhance the role of Pacific leadership in the pharmacy sector |
| Share the Pacific Responsiveness Strategy with other government agencies and relevant health sector organisations, to share learnings/findings from the community fono | ||
| Develop relationships with Pacific advisors in DHBs |
By the end of 2018
| Influence | Priorities | Actions |
|---|---|---|
| COMMUNITY | Developing effective communication channels to improve Pacific peoples access to information about medicines and their use |
Extend analysis of data to strengthen the evidence base for PHARMAC’s Pacific-responsiveness work, including (but not limited to) the areas of health need as identified by Pacific communities |
| ORGANISATION | Increasing our awareness, capability and knowledge of Pacific peoples to strengthen PHARMAC’s Pacific responsiveness work | Provide opportunities for staff to improve their cultural awareness and awareness of health disparities; such as:
|
| Introducing a Pacific focus to the way we work at PHARMAC | Develop research tools to improve staff access to relevant Pacific research (and to other population groups experiencing health disparities) | |
| SYSTEM | Aligning our tools and resources to provide better information to the wider health system about the health needs of Pacific peoples | Run dedicated seminars for health professionals to improve knowledge of health disparities in New Zealand, including the health of Pacific peoples |
By the end of 2019
| Influence | Priorities | Actions |
|---|---|---|
| COMMUNITY | Building relationships to develop trust and to demonstrate an ongoing commitment to Pacific communities | Seek out opportunities to partner with Pacific health providers where PHARMAC activity may particularly impact on specific Pacific population groups |
| Developing effective communication channels to improve Pacific peoples access to information about medicines and their use | Deliver culturally appropriate information to improve understanding of medicines/ treatments in the most important areas of health need | |
| Build a communication strategy in consultation/collaboration with appropriate Pacific expertise to begin developing a range of tools and resources to target communications to Pacific audiences | ||
| ORGANISATION | Introducing a Pacific focus to the way we work at PHARMAC | Embed the need to consider Pacific populations (and other population groups with health disparities) into responsible use of pharmaceuticals activities as appropriate |
| Change internal processes where required to ensure Pacific health considerations and perspectives are factored into PHARMAC’s work | ||
| Ensure PHARMAC’s external advisory groups take into account, and provide high-quality advice on, considerations important to the health of Pacific people (and other population groups experiencing health disparities) | ||
| SYSTEM | Aligning our tools and resources to provide better information to the wider health system about the health needs of Pacific peoples | Explore summer studentship opportunities (or short-term opportunities as appropriate) for a Pacific student studying for a health-related qualification |
| Facilitate or undertake research relating to access or use of medicines by Pacific people | ||
| Develop a tool-kit to make data, resources and information on medicine use by Pacific people more accessible to Pacific communities and the wider health system | ||
| Actively working with others to reduce cultural, system and language barriers to medicines use and access | Engage with Ministry of Health on how we can address barriers to accessing medicines, including user charges for Pacific peoples and other population groups experiencing health disparities | |
| Work with the MoH, DHBs, the primary care sector and Pacific community health groups to consider how the system could collectively work together to improve the cultural, system and language barriers being faced by some Pacific populations (and other population groups with health disparities) to improve access and use of medicines |
What success will look like by the end of 2019
| Influence | What does success look like in 2019 |
|---|---|
| COMMUNITY |
PHARMAC better understands the health priorities for Pacific peoples and is tailoring activity to improve outcomes in these areas PHARMAC has meaningful and ongoing relationships with Pacific communities (through organisations/ providers) focused on improving Pacific peoples access and use of medicines Pacific peoples are receiving the right information to improve their understanding and use of funded medicines and medical devices |
| ORGANISATION |
PHARMAC staff can embed a Pacific perspective into their work through their increased awareness, understanding and knowledge The impact of PHARMAC’s funding decisions on Pacific communities are being considered accurately and appropriately PHARMAC’s policies and processes ensure that all relevant information for Pacific peoples’ is taken into account PHARMAC’s external committees can demonstrate a Pacific perspective is being accounted for in the advice given to PHARMAC |
| SYSTEM |
Barriers being faced by Pacific peoples in the health system, in relation to access and use of medicines, are being addressed by PHARMAC in collaboration with others in the health system More data and information is available and being used by others in the health system to address medicine access and use by Pacific populations |
Last updated: 12 September 2017
