Natalie McMurtry. Photo: Supplied
The country's drug buying agency, Pharmac, has a new chief executive.
Natalie McMurtry started in the high-profile role two weeks ago, bringing with her more than 25 years of experience working in clinical, strategic and leadership roles within the health sector in Canada.
"I've always known about Pharmac and the pharmacy world. It's always been a unique model and I'm very actually excited to work in it," she told Morning Report on Thursday.
The agency had been without a permanent chief executive since Sarah Fitt quit in February, following calls for her resignation.
"She is no longer fit for the role," Patient Voice Aotearoa chairperson Malcolm Mulholland said, after a 100,000-strong petition was delivered to Parliament demanding she go.
"We want a change in culture, a change in the way Pharmac operates, none of us have confidence that she is the right person to see that transformation happen."
Before joining Pharmac, McMurtry was chief transition officer in the launch of a new acute care agency in Alberta, Canada. She held a Bachelor of Science degree in pharmacy from public research university Dalhousie and an MBA in innovation leadership.
"A lot of work is underway," McMurtry said of Pharmac. "The board, along with support from the minister, have been working on a reset programme which has really moved forward and established a formal consumer advisory working group... working hand-in-hand with the Pharmac team to really ensure that we are integrating those voices into everything."
McMurtry said there was "always tension" between how much funding Pharmac had, and what patients and their families - not to mention politicians and lobby groups - wanted, especially considering Pharmac's single-buyer model depends on its size to get better prices.
David Seymour. Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii
"There are definitely parts that we need to keep commercially confidential to ensure that we get that value," she explained.
"What I think what we could do a little bit better and take some time to really understand, if we can, in a confidential way through agreements with involve patients and families in some more of those committees, some of that decision making in a formal way that makes sure the commercial confidentiality is protected, yet people are assured we have those voices at the table."
Associate Health Minister David Seymour earlier this year called McMurtry's appointment "another positive step towards a Pharmac which works for the people it serves".
"I look forward to working alongside her as we look to cement positive change, and continue to move towards a more transparent, inclusive and people-focused organisation."
McMurtry said she foresaw no issues with the government or minister leaning on Pharmac, which is supposed to make decisions on which drugs to buy independently.
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