About the Community Pharmacy Programme

The Community Pharmacy Programme works on behalf of the 20 DHBs to:

• manage and monitor the Integrated Community Pharmacy Services Agreement (the services contract between each DHB and all community pharmacies in their area)
• support DHBs to co-design new pharmacist services with consumers and other key stakeholders
• deliver the vision of the New Zealand Health Strategy and Pharmacy Action Plan, in collaboration with other key stakeholders.

Immediate priorities for the programme include:

• Supporting community pharmacies to manage the COVID-19 response
• Implementing the National Annual Agreement Review 2020-21 of the Integrated Community Pharmacy Services Agreement 
• Implementing a wage cost pressures review, and a review into the services and funding model for community pharmacy.

Pharmacy Action Plan 2016-2020
This is the Ministry of Health’s five-year Action Plan for pharmacist services. It puts people at the centre of services and it envisions a future where pharmacists, as skilled medicine advisors, work more closely with other health professionals to address inequities and maximise health outcomes for everyone.

New Zealand Health Strategy 2016-2026
The New Zealand Health Strategy sets the direction of health services to improve the health of people and communities.