Vision

He aha te mea nui o te Ao? What is the most important thing in the world?

He tangata, he tangata, he tangata. It is people, it is people, it is people.

Integrated Pharmacist Services in the Community is the vision for pharmacist services.  Delivering on this vision involves DHBs working with the sector, consumers and other stakeholders to co-design a service delivery model that has consumers at the centre.

The vision provides DHBs with greater flexibility to meet the needs of their local populations, to address inequities, promote pharmacists as experts in medicines management and encourage collaboration between consumers, their pharmacist and a broader multi-disciplinary team.

Developing the vision

Pharmacists, together with other health care professionals, will need to work differently to respond to the ever-growing demands on the health system. Integrated Pharmacist Services in the Community is the result of discussions held at a number of DHB led stakeholder forums over 2015-2016, to understand how pharmacists can best respond to those demands. Evolving Consumer Pharmacist Services, a document produced at the conclusion of the forums, charts the development of this vision.

Delivering the vision

The new Integrated Community Pharmacy Services Agreement, the contract between DHBs and individual pharmacies for service delivery, is an important step on the way to delivering on this vision, and the vision of the Ministry of Health’s Pharmacy Action Plan, and the NZ Health Strategy.

District Health Boards are using the Pharmacy Action Plan vision to guide the design and delivery of Integrated Pharmacist Services in the Community.

The five-year Plan outlines a set of actions to support pharmacists to deliver maximum value to the health system and contribute to the objectives of the New Zealand Health Strategy. The New Zealand Health Strategy outlines the high level direction of New Zealand’s health system from 2016 to 2026.

Pharmacy Action Plan Vision 2016-2020

People are at the centre of our health system. People are the focus of this Action Plan.

Pharmacist services, as an integrated component of a people-powered, collaborative model of care, will be delivered in innovative ways, across a broad range of settings, so that everyone has equitable access to medicines and health care services. The health care team will fully use the unique and complementary skill set of pharmacists, as medicines management experts. The focus will be on delivering high-quality care, supported by smart systems, that:

• Is responsive to the changing health needs of New Zealanders
• Empowers them to manage their own health and wellbeing better, as part of a one-team approach that supports people to live longer, but also to spend more of that life in good health. 

How to become involved 

Achieving the vision for Integrated Pharmacist Services in the Community will not happen overnight.

We’re still in the early stages, and it’s important to make sure the changes needed to achieve success are well thought through and will involve ongoing discussion and work, with the wider pharmacy sector, health professionals, consumers and others in the coming years.

If you have a question, or would like more information about Integrated Pharmacist Services in the Community:
Email: pharmacy@tas.health.nz 

The Pharmacy Portfolio Manager at your local DHB

Learn more using related links