After axing its independent Māori advisory group six months ago, Pharmac also proposes scrapping its Māori directorate.
The drug funding agency told staff on Monday that the specialist team‘s days may be numbered.
The directorate’s responsibilities include developing strategies to enable better access to medicines and addressing health inequities for Māori.
The PSA, which represents public sector workers, is highly critical of Pharmac’s proposal, which it says represents “another sad example of the low priority the Government places on improving the health of Māori.”
“This is an abandonment of Pharmac’s commitment to the health of Māori and another breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi,” says PSA kaihautū Māori Janice Panoho.
Three roles (net) are at risk. These include roles supporting anti-racism research and the now-defunct Māori advisory group, the PSA says.
“The dismantling of Pharmac’s Māori leadership capacity is unacceptable. It sends a clear message to our communities that Māori voices in the health system can be ignored, erased, and sidelined."
Pharmac maintains it’s still figuring out its approach to Māori engagement and hasn’t committed to a particular course of action. It does, however, emphasise that its focus is on “all New Zealanders”.
“Pharmac is working through an internal process to confirm its future model for Māori engagement,” says Pharmac acting chief executive Brendan Boyle.
“This is part of a bigger work programme to make the organisation more outward-focused and responsive to the health needs of all New Zealanders.
“No decisions have been made at this stage,” he says.
Panoho says the fault ultimately lies with the government, including with its letter of expectations to Pharmac instructing it to stop embedding Te Tiriti o Waitangi in its funding decisions.
“This latest proposal flies in the face of Pharmac’s statutory obligation to consider equity and address racism in access to medicines - this change will further diminish the voice of Māori in Pharmac’s funding decisions,” she says.
“Across the public service, the Government is overriding its legal obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi and washing its hands of the partnership between the Crown and Māori that previous governments embraced.
“We urge the Government and Pharmac to not walk away from Te Tiriti o Waitangi if it’s serious about improving the health outcomes of Māori.”
