Our advocacy approach is delivered through objective analysis, expert advice and working closely with key decision-makers. Our approach is always fair, consistent and solutions focused.
Our key achievements over the last decade include:
- Leading the delivery of the evergreen ICPSA contract in 2018 with better terms worth over $100 million each year, relative to DHBs’ original proposal and the risk of major income loss through the removal of long term condition funding and splitting dispensing into supply and advice.
- Overcoming resistance from officials to ensure community pharmacies became key Covid-19 service providers during the pandemic – with community pharmacies now leading Covid-19 vaccination delivery (at 76% market share), at sustainably priced rates negotiated by the Guild.
- Helping the Labour-led government remove the $5 prescription charge after five years of strong advocacy in 2023. Then providing advice to the National-led government decision to introduce a targeted charge. Both initiatives were an improvement on the previous universal charging regime.
- Through our policy work and strong advocacy, we helped prevent the National-led government’s proposal from 2016 to allow anyone to own a pharmacy and preserved majority pharmacist ownership and effective control with the passing of Therapeutics Products Act 2023.
- Our analysis was included in the 2024 HNZ Workforce Plan, highlighting the critical shortage of pharmacists and technicians, and the need to address pay parity based on work started in 2020 due to our advocacy.
- Securing better funding and more services. Since the ICPSA began in 2018, we have helped deliver annual contributions towards cost pressures, improved patient access and expanded services. Core annual funding has grown from $418 million in 2015/16 and is forecast to be over $850 million in 2025/26.
Our ongoing advocacy successes endorse our approach and that we remain on the right track to deliver on our current goals. These include improved cost pressure recognition and delivery of a sustainable funding model for dispensing and further extension of funded vital community pharmacy services.