First-Ever Strike At Pharmac
The strike will involve walking off the job on Wednesday 9 July at 10:30am for one hour.
"The team at Pharmac, like many other Government agencies, are constantly being asked to deliver more with less," PSA National Secretary, Fleur Fitzsimons says.
"Pharmac does essential work getting life-saving medicines to New Zealanders. Workers and their families deserve a fair pay increase and decent conditions of work, not this terrible pay offer and a reduction in their conditions of work."
The PSA initiated bargaining over a year ago in June 2024, but Pharmac did not bargain until October.
At the bargaining, Pharmac management proposed a number of reductions in terms and conditions of employment, including a service eligibility for step pay progression and only making redundancy available to permanent staff, as well as a pay offer of just 0.2 per cent.
In June this year, the PSA proposed mediation after Pharmac proposed to remove members' step pay system.
In mediation, Pharmac proposed a number of new reductions in terms and conditions. Most notably, it proposed a reduction in the size of step pay increases in exchange for a one-off 'buyout' of the step increase employees would have otherwise received this year.
"The public servants at Pharmac care deeply about serving New Zealanders. All they ask in return is the right pay and conditions so that they can do their jobs effectively," Fitzsimons says.
Pharmac staff will be picketing outside their office at 40 Mercer Street from 10:30am-11:30am during the industrial action.
The parties are attending mediation with the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment on 16 and 17 July 2025.
Other PSA statements on Pharmac:
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
1News
7 hours ago
- 1News
Weight loss drug Wegovy: The pros and cons, explained
Last week semaglutide drug Wegovy was made available for prescription in New Zealand. Semaglutide originally arrived on the market in the US in 2017 as a diabetes medication, but has quickly been tied to extreme weight loss. Wegovy can be prescribed to people over the age of 12, but many of the 65% of New Zealanders who are overweight or obese will have trouble affording it, with an estimated price of $500 a month. The drug has transformed our ability to manage obesity and type 2 diabetes, and has shown potential for a wide range of conditions such as Alzheimer's, addiction and depression. But there are clouds to go along with the silver linings — such as potential vision loss. ADVERTISEMENT "This condition, it occurs when there's insufficient blood flow to the nerves connecting the eye to the brain, and this leads to damage," US-based health reporter for New Scientist, Grace Wade, told RNZ's Sunday Morning. The specific condition was non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. "That can cause this sudden and permanent vision loss, usually in just one eye. Now, I should be clear this isn't total vision loss, at least usually - it's more like cloudiness, stuff like that." People using semaglutides to treat diabetes were 4.3 times more likely to develop this condition, and those using it for weight loss 7.6 times, as people using other types of diabetes medications, a 2024 study found (Wade wrote about it in New Scientist here). Novo Nordisk, the maker of Wegovy, said in a statement, patient safety was the top priority and all reports of adverse events were taken seriously. "Semaglutide has been studied in robust clinical development programs with more than 52,000 semaglutide exposed patients and exposure from post-marketing use of over 33 million patient years." It said it was recommended to update patient leaflets for Wegovy and Ozempic on June 6 to include the condition under its special warnings and precautions for use and as an adverse drug reaction with a frequency of "very rare, meaning it may effect up to 1 in 10,000 people taking semaglutide". It said based on the totality of evidence it concluded the data did not suggest a reasonable possibility of a casual relationship between the condition and semaglutide and "the benefit-risk profile of semaglutide remains favourable". ADVERTISEMENT "We work closely with authorities and regulatory bodies worldwide to continuously monitor the safety profile of our products." Researchers looked at semaglutide, a prescription drug that decreases appetite and is sold under the brand names Wegovy and Ozempic. (Source: 1News) The drug worked by suppressing appetite, which typically leads to weight loss as people consume fewer calories. But the weight lost was not always beneficial, Wade said. "It leads the body to break down fat, muscle and actually even bone for nutrients, and that's why… some research has found that upwards of 40% of the weight loss seen with these medications is due to loss of muscle mass… that makes it really important that people prioritise exercise when taking these drugs because if you don't use your muscle, you're more likely to lose it." Getting into the exercise habit was also important since one day, most people on Wegovy will stop taking it - putting themselves at risk of putting the weight back on if they were not regularly moving. What about 'Ozempic face?' Then there is 'Ozempic face'. ADVERTISEMENT "I don't think this is a clinical term yet, but it's something that's popped up a lot in social media," Wade said. "People who are taking these medications start developing... a sunken or hollowed out appearance, which can exacerbate fine lines and wrinkles, make their skin look a little more saggy. "It isn't clear exactly how common this is… but it probably has to do with just weight loss, right? If you're losing weight, as much as some people would want to target their weight loss to certain areas of their body, we can't really do that. So, you know, any sort of overall weight loss is also gonna cause a loss of fat in your face." There were also side effects for some, including constantly needing to go to the toilet, feeling bloated, belching, constipation, heartburn, fever, upset stomach - the list, collected here by the Mayo Clinic, goes on. And nearly half of people who try it make it through a three-month course, one study found. Wade also mentioned a lot of people taking semaglutide for diabetes or Alzheimer's prevention might be older and "frail", so not able to lose weight. "Drug developers are actually working to develop new drugs that have similar effects as these weight loss medications, but without the weight loss." ADVERTISEMENT The good news One unexpected benefit of semaglutide was its apparent effect on not just calorie consumption, but use of addictive substances, such as alcohol and nicotine. "We aren't exactly sure why that is, but it appears to be with how these medications affect brain activity. "So these drugs curb cravings for alcohol similar to how they curb cravings for food, right? And that probably has to do with their impact on brain regions involved in reward processing and craving… "A study of more than half-a-million people with a history of opioid use disorders showed that those who took Ozempic or similar [medications] had significantly lower rates of opioid overdose than those who didn't. "Other studies have shown similar effects in people with cannabis use disorder, cigarette smokers and alcoholism." Scientists did not expect this effect, calling it an "unintended consequence". ADVERTISEMENT Approval for the popular medication said to be a "game changer" for many New Zealanders. (Source: 1News) The drugs have also shown promise in reducing heart attacks and strokes, improving fertility, treating pain, improving mental health, lower the risk of kidney failure and slowing cognitive decline. "I've never encountered a group of drugs like this," Wade said. "That's what makes these drugs so remarkable, because most medications can only treat one or two conditions, right?" She said it was likely that weight loss was playing a role - as it frequently does in health - but "it doesn't seem to be the only [reason]". But there is still a lot of research to be done, she said, before we all start taking it. "Let's unravel how they can treat all of these conditions before we jump the gun and start suggesting we, you know, maybe put it in everyone's water or something."
1News
12 hours ago
- 1News
'I need to fix this' - battling back from mental health rock bottom
When Toi Rankin realised his wellbeing was out of balance, he roped in his mate Pab to help him out. What started as a personal check-in quickly became a kaupapa; a raw, honest, and often confronting exploration of what it really means to be well as young Māori and Pasifika in Aotearoa today. Watch the new series ALLGOODS now on TVNZ+. Content warning: This article discusses mental health. Toi Rankin's rock bottom was isolating himself in his room and disengaging from the world completely. He would order Uber Eats every meal and would sometimes get the delivery driver to pass it through his bedroom window so he didn't risk crossing paths with his flatmates. ADVERTISEMENT He didn't want to be seen by his friends or family, and he avoided even seeing himself in the mirror. Toi Rankin explains what it took getting out of his rock bottom in the new Re: News series ALL GOODS. (Source: Pepe De Hoyos Photography.) Over six months he gained 80kgs and got diabetes and sleep apnoea. He remembers driving past his mum one day and waving to her, but she didn't recognise who he was. "She was worried, like really worried. It was bad," Toi said. "That was really tough and one of those moments where I was like f***, I need to fix this." Introducing ALLGOODS In a desperate attempt to turn his health around, Toi linked up with a trainer called Pab and the Riff Raff run club – which he says quite literally saved his life. ADVERTISEMENT Together, they committed to trying to work out what it means to be well as Māori and Pasifika men today. "The story we wanted to tell was never about weight loss, because that's not the problem," said Toi. "There's so much more to it and I'm not an outlier, I'm actually part of the majority for being unhealthy physically and mentally." Re: News journalist Zoe Madden-Smith sat down with Toi to chat about what it was like taking one for the team and becoming the "stand in" for the audience of Māori and Pasifika men who may have gone through similar battles with their mental and physical health. Zoe: What inspired making ALLGOODS? Toi: Originally, we got funding to do a series about Riff Raff, the run club. But we ran into a few obstacles, so we basically had to pivot the series to make it work. We knew we wanted to tell a story aimed at Māori and Pasifika men, so the team was like to me, 'Why don't we move your story to be front and centre?' ADVERTISEMENT At that point I had done the massive weight loss thing and had lost 50kgs, but I had almost like regressed or stagnated a bit. So, we thought why don't we look at the series through a more holistic point of view and bring in Te Whare Tapa Whā and I'll be the stand in for the audience. Editor's note: Te Whare Tapa Whā is a Māori framework for health. The four pillars represent the four dimensions of health: taha tinana (physical health), taha hinengaro (mental and emotional health), taha whānau (family and social health), and taha wairua (spiritual health). Zoe: How did you feel about the spotlight being turned on you? Toi: I still feel weird about it. But at the same time, I'm like, it's not really about me. I just need to get out of my head because if this can inspire one person, then that's a win. But it was weird to watch it back, it was a big ego thing. My first TV showing of myself is me at my absolute worst. So that was really difficult, like f*** having to be on camera at your rock bottom. But I just kept telling myself 'This is bigger than you'. ADVERTISEMENT Toi Rankin says his weight gained caused him to develop chronic sleep apnoea. (Source: Pepe De Hoyos Photography.) Zoe: In the series you are really open about putting on 80kgs in six months, giving yourself sleep apnoea and diabetes – things that people usually wouldn't want to talk about. Why did you want to be so open? Toi: I didn't want pity from this. I didn't want it to come across as 'Oh my god, this was so awful'. But more, here's this thing that's that that's happened, and now I'm trying to fix it. This doesn't have to define who I am, so you know, let's get people up to speed and move on. Zoe: How long did your low point last for? Toi: It got worse and worse over time. Overall, it was probably for a year, but that really bad routine was about three or four months. But yeah, I was incrementally building on that shitty masterpiece for a long time. ADVERTISEMENT Zoe: What was the moment that made you realise you needed to change something? Toi: It was when I went to tie up my shoes and I fully got into a huff and started sweating. That's when I was like 'Mmm, this is not good or fun or cool'. I always just thought I could work off the weight, because my weight had spiked after uni but I worked it off. I kept telling myself I'd be able to dig myself out, but I kept going further and further until I realised, I can't do this on my own. So, I called my brother for help because he is a personal trainer. He told me he could write me an exercise and diet plan, or he could tee me up with his mate Pab and said, 'He's a bit wild, but he will take care of you'. Zoe: What was the hardest part about your journey? Toi: The hardest part was showing up. And it still is to be honest. I'm supposed to go to training this week, but I just haven't. ADVERTISEMENT When you go to training, you get your ass kicked, but you can almost autopilot that. The hardest part is getting there. But I've gotten over the anxiety part of it. I remember when I drove to the first training, I sat in my car and then drove home because I was just way too anxious about it. I thought I'd probably get judged because I'm so unfit. I don't even want to be seen by my family and friends like that, let alone some strangers. But the second attempt I went with my brother and once I met all the boys it was awesome. Zoe: What's your favourite episode of the series? What are you most excited for people to watch? Toi: My favourite one is the 'I love you bro' episode. I really loved the sewing workshop and being able to bring the Riff Raff and experience that with them. Male mental health in New Zealand is f****d and I liked that we were shining a light on that. ADVERTISEMENT And I like that all the boys showed up to support the cause — and the boys are all fired up about it on the chat afterwards. Zoe: Have you sewn since? Toi: No, but I honestly thought about buying a sewing machine. I went on Trade Me and I saw the exact one we were using, and I'm like, 'I'm gonna get you soon'. It's one of my goals. The Riff Raff run club. (Source: Pepe De Hoyos Photography.) Zoe: What did you learn about yourself through making the series? Toi: I learnt heaps but the hīkoi [filming at the 2024 Hīkoi mō te Tiriti] was especially gnarly for me. That was the biggest exposure therapy and that was the second shoot day. In my head I was like 'They can see from a mile away that I am a plastic Māori and that I'm all s***'. ADVERTISEMENT But most of the people were so happy to talk to me. So having that being proven wrong meant that I eventually relaxed into it the day. In that same episode we [the Riff Raff run club] also jump into the water at the end. So, getting undressed in front of the camera was gnarly too. I still feel uncomfortable watching it, but I know that's a me thing. There were a lot of moments where I was hugely pushed out of my comfort zone. But then I would do it and the world wouldn't end, and I was like 'Oh okay, nobody actually cares'. Zoe: What would you say to your past self who was at rock bottom? What would you want him to know that you know now? Toi: Movement is free. You can go for a walk, you can stretch, and you can start small and it's about building on that. And also, don't wait. Don't reserve all your positive energy into your future self because they don't exist. That's what I did, I said 'I am going to go travelling once I am fit and healthy. I'm going to do this, once I am this'. ADVERTISEMENT But by doing that, you're sort of taking all this positive energy away from yourself. And then you get to that date you set for yourself, and you haven't hit those goals and so you feel like s***. So, save some joy for now. Watch ALLGOODS on TVNZ+ now. This interview was edited for clarity and length.
Scoop
21 hours ago
- Scoop
New Governance For Health New Zealand
Minister of Health The Government is today announcing the reestablishment of the Health New Zealand Board, with new appointments to drive its priority of ensuring timely, quality healthcare for all New Zealanders, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. The re-established Health New Zealand Board will take over from the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners appointed last year to stabilise the organisation and set a clear direction. 'Under Professor Lester Levy's leadership as Commissioner, Health New Zealand has delivered a strong financial plan, and a clear Health Delivery Plan is now in place. He is refocusing the organisation on patients and driving progress on the Government's health targets, which are seeing waitlists reduced,' Mr Brown says. Professor Levy has been appointed Chair of Health New Zealand for a 12-month term to ensure continuity of leadership. His appointment will maintain momentum on the Government's health targets and keep the focus firmly on patients. Mr Brown also announced his intention to begin a nomination process later this year for a permanent Chair to take effect from 1 July 2026. 'I have also appointed an experienced team of Board members who will support Health New Zealand to deliver for patients, including the appointment of Dr Andrew Connolly as Deputy Chair. Dr Connolly is an experienced surgeon and clinical director who has also held numerous appointments across Governments, including Chair of the Medical Council, Crown Monitor, and Commissioner on District Health Boards. 'I am also appointing Hamiora Bowkett as a Crown Observer to keep a close watch on performance and support the Board with independent oversight. This role will focus on supporting the Board's re-establishment and ensuring Health New Zealand delivers on the Government's health targets. Mr Bowkett will advise me directly, with a particular focus on Health New Zealand's financial position and the delivery of health targets.' 'We're also tackling one of the biggest barriers to better care - our ageing health infrastructure - by establishing a dedicated Infrastructure Committee to make sure our Government's significant investment in health infrastructure delivers modern facilities, on time and on budget. 'This is about accountability. Patients care about seeing a doctor sooner, getting their hip surgery faster, being treated in a hospital that works. That's what these governance changes are designed to achieve.' The key appointments include: Professor Lester Levy, currently Commissioner of Health New Zealand and Chair of the Health Research Council, has been appointed Chair of the Health New Zealand Board for a 12-month term. Dr Andrew Connolly, a senior surgeon and clinical leader, is appointed Deputy Chair. Board members include Roger Jarrold, Dr Frances Hughes, Parekawhia McLean, Peter McCardle, and Terry Moore. Hamiora Bowkett is appointed as Crown Observer to support and monitor Health New Zealand. A new Infrastructure Committee, chaired by Dr Margaret Wilsher, will oversee the delivery of critical health projects, supported by experienced members: Mark Binns, James Christmas, Sarah Sinclair, Evan Davies, and Roger Jarrold. 'I want to acknowledge the work of Professor Levy as Commissioner, and thank Deputy Commissioners Roger Jarrold, Ken Whelan, and Kylie Clegg for the rapid progress they have made in refocusing Health New Zealand on patients. "There is still much work to do, and I look forward to working with the Health New Zealand Board to deliver for patients, achieve the Government's health targets, and continue driving progress on the key priorities I announced in March. 'These changes ensure we have the right people in the right roles to get it done.' Appointed members will assume their roles on 23 July 2025, when the Commission ends. Health New Zealand Board appointments Professor Lester Levy CNZM – Chair Professor Lester Levy is the current Commissioner for Health New Zealand and serves as Chair of the Health Research Council. He has chaired multiple District Health Boards and is a Professor of Digital Health Leadership at Auckland University of Technology. Professor Levy has been appointed to a 12 month term. Dr Andrew Connolly MNZM – Deputy Chair Dr Andrew Connolly is a general and colorectal surgeon with a distinguished clinical background and is currently the Chief Medical Officer at Counties Manukau. He is also currently the Chair of the Health Workforce and System Efficiencies Committee, a former Chair of the Medical Council, and former member of the Health Quality & Safety Commission. He has also served as a Deputy Commissioner and Observer for various District Health Boards. Roger Jarrold – Member Roger Jarrold is currently Deputy Commissioner – Finance of Health New Zealand and a Board member of the New Zealand Blood and Organ Service. He has extensive financial experience, having worked in finance in the private and public sectors for over 40 years. Mr Jarrold has been appointed to a 12 month term. Dr Frances Hughes CNZM – Member Dr Frances Hughes is a registered nurse and current member of the boards of the Health Research Council and the Water Services Authority. She has over 30 years of nursing experience and has held senior healthcare positions in several countries, including as Chief Nurse of New Zealand at the Ministry of Health, Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer at Queensland Health, and Chief Executive Officer at the International Council of Nurses. Parekawhia McLean (Ngāti Maahanga, Waikato, Ngāti Maniapoto) – Member Parekawhia McLean is currently the Chair of the Hauora Māori Advisory Committee, Te Whakakitenga o Waikato (the governance body of Waikato-Tainui), a director of Transpower, and the Chief Executive of the Criminal Cases Review Commission. Parekawhia has extensive governance experience and is a former Chief Executive of Waikato-Tainui. Hon Peter McCardle – Member Peter McCardle has over 30 years of public sector and political experience, with a strong focus on health policy and system performance. He served as a Member of Parliament from 1990 to 1999, including ministerial portfolios. He also served as a member of the Hutt Valley District Health Board and Upper Hutt City Council as Councillor, Deputy Mayor, and Chair of the Council's Audit Committee. Terry Moore – Member Terry Moore is the current Chair of Canopy Healthcare, Deputy Chair of IGENZ - Innovative Genomics, and a Board member of CHT Care Homes. Terry brings significant experience working in both the public and private health sectors, including serving as the CEO of Southern Cross Healthcare between 2007 and 2022. Crown observer Hamiora Bowkett (Te Arawa, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Rangiwewehi) Mr Bowkett has 25 years' experience across the public and private sectors, with expertise in health, infrastructure, and Māori development. He currently leads the Health Assurance Unit, overseeing key Government health priorities, including infrastructure funding, legislative reform, and monitoring of Health New Zealand. In 2019, Mr Bowkett was jointly appointed by Ministers to the Capital & Coast and Hutt Valley District Health Boards. Ministerial Health Infrastructure Committee Dr Margaret Wilsher – Chair Dr Wilsher is a highly experienced respiratory physician and Chief Medical Officer at Health New Zealand - Auckland. She has significant senior governance experience and extensive financial and clinical leadership experience, including serving on the Capital Investment Committee for the Government overseeing health infrastructure investment between 2011 and 2023. Mark Binns Mr Binns is a qualified lawyer and a former partner of Simpson Grierson in Auckland. He was Chief Executive of Meridian Energy from 2012 to 2017, and before that spent 22 years with Fletcher Building, including 15 years as Chief Executive of the Construction and Infrastructure division. James Christmas James Christmas is an Auckland barrister with extensive experience in public law, governance, and Crown entity oversight. He has advised on major policy and infrastructure matters and brings a strong understanding of public sector accountability, financial management, and the legal frameworks that govern infrastructure investment. Sarah Sinclair Sarah Sinclair is a highly regarded construction, infrastructure, and energy specialist with extensive experience acting for both government and private sector clients in large-scale, complex infrastructure projects and public sector reform programmes. Evan Davies Evan Davies has multi-sector knowledge and has held a diverse range of senior leadership roles over the last 30 years. He has recently been appointed as the Crown Manager to the Health New Zealand New Dunedin Hospital Inpatient Building Project. Roger Jarrold (see bio above) The Minister announced his five key health priorities in March at his speech to the BusinessNZ Health Forum. These priorities can be found here: The intention is that the infrastructure committee will transition to become a permanent infrastructure committee of the Health NZ Board once amendments are made to the Healthy Futures Act. All members will transition from the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Health Infrastructure to this new infrastructure committee once it is established.
