Day in and day out, we see the impact of Pharmac’s inaction on cancer treatments for New Zealanders. We know there is a process to follow, applications to be made, advocacy is critical, and the patient voice is needed, in whatever way that is delivered. However, we don’t expect any of this to be trivialised by those running the organisation.
This recent revelation of the culture and nastiness within senior management puts a whole different light on this organisation; and it’s not a positive one. Whether Sarah Fitt’s employment is at risk, is a test of integrity for our Minister of Health and the Chair of the State Services Commission.
What is of greater concern is the impact on everyday Kiwis at the hand of this petty and disgraceful culture within the wider senior management of Pharmac. The lack of professionalism, emotional intelligence, compassion and empathy that these comments show when patients are dying due to being unable to access therapies funded in similar countries/health systems to NZ (UK, Canada, Australia) is, and remains to be a central issue.
At its most simplistic, this behaviour suggests they are out of touch with the community or the impact of their decisions on patients and their whanau; this is a great concern. Pharmac may not be able to fund everything they would like to, or that needs to be funded based on specialist opinion, but that should result in business cases, compassionate approaches and robust requests to the Minister for increased funding – not mockery of the messenger.
New story – https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/300985032/calls-to-sack-pharmac-boss-after-sick-sneering-remarks