Five new members for PHARMAC consumer committee

The PHARMAC Board has appointed five new members to the Government drug funder’s Consumer Advisory Committee.

The refreshed membership follows a review of the Committee’s Terms of Reference, and brings the committee to nine members.

PHARMAC Acting Chief Executive Steffan Crausaz says the new members bring a broad range of skills and experience to the committee.

“We’re delighted with the calibre of the new appointments and look forward to the perspectives they will bring to the committee,” he says. “Their skills add to those of existing members so that the committee has a broad mix of people and a range of ideas to draw from. This gives the committee a solid foundation to provide high-quality advice to PHARMAC”

The committee’s role is to give PHARMAC advice on how PHARMAC can best access diverse consumer views, and consider these views when carrying out its role. It considers a broad range of issues related to PHARMAC’s work, however under its Terms of Reference it does not consider medicine funding applications.

“We want to ensure that we are incorporating consumer needs and consumer views into our work and the committee plays an important role in helping us do that. It is a valuable sounding board and source of ideas, but of course it remains important that we also continue to make contact with consumers ourselves.”

PHARMAC received 35 applications for positions on the committee. The new members include four Māori, and come from Hokitika, Wellington, Christchurch, south Auckland and Rotorua.

New Members:

Barbara Greer of Hokitika – a registered psychiatric nurse and life member of the Māori Women’s Welfare League, bringing a background in Māori and rural issues. Barbara is a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to health and Māori.

Shane Bradbrook of Wellington – is a tobacco control advocate with iwi affiliations to Ngāi Tamanuhiri, Rongowhakaata and Ngāti Kahungungu. He has significant experience with health and indigenous people’s issues, including with the United Nations, the World Health Organisation, and in New Zealand.

Anna Mitchell of Christchurch - current Chairperson of Canterbury Arthritis Advocates and the Vice-President of the Disabled Persons Assembly for Christchurch and surrounding districts. She is also Chairperson of the Christchurch City Council Disability Inclusion Group.

Moana Papa of Auckland – a Māori woman with close connections to the south Auckland Pacific community. Moana is involved with a number of organisations, including Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition (BCAC), the Māori Leadership Group – Northern Cancer Network, BreastScreen Aotearoa in Manukau and Raukura Hauora O Tainui Ki Tamaki, a charitable trust that is the largest Māori health provider in the Auckland South region.

Katerina Pihera of Rotorua - a Māori woman with links to Ngati Rangiwewehi and the Te Arawa confederation. A representative of the Te Arawa Health Board, she provides advice and advocacy to the Lakes DHB through her membership of the Community and Public Health Advisory Committee for Lakes DHB.

With the appointment of these members, the Committee is now comprised of nine members.

The existing Committee members are:

Kate Russell (Christchurch, acting chair); Anne Fitisemanu (Auckland, acting deputy chair); Maurice Gianotti (Taupo), Jennie Michel (Auckland).