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Vol 26- Dec
2009
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New RMI board
Chairman
 An Auckland lawyer with a
background
in international banking and extensive links across New Zealand’s
public and private sectors, has been appointed RMI
chairman.
Lex Henry (pictured right), a Special Counsel with Auckland law firm Minter Ellison Rudd Watts, also currently chairs merchant bank Cranleigh, and is a Director of Ngai Tahu Properties and health software company MedTech. He is also a member of the Auckland University of Technology Council and AUT Millennium Institute. The Deputy Chair of the TransTasman Business Circle, and a Trustee of the Christchurch Arts Festival and the Asia NZ Foundation, until recently Mr Henry was a Landcorp director and the Deputy Chairman of OnTrack (KiwiRail). He has also served as a New Zealand diplomat covering ASEAN. Photo
Mark Coote. | |||
| New RMI
vision and mission
statement Changes to the wording of the RMI vision and mission were touched on in a speech given by the CEO at this year’s Christmas function. The December meeting of the RMI Board approved the changes, as well as a rewording of the RMI core Values. Vision: To improve health outcomes for New Zealanders through equitable access to quality medicines. Our Mission: To advocate for patients’ needs by influencing public policy to achieve equitable access to quality medicines. Core values: • Ethical: we take a responsible approach and use evidence-based arguments. • Accountable: we are cognisant of our responsibility to our members and to New Zealanders. • Collaborative: we recognise the fiscal pressures of providing health services and offer solutions before criticism. • Pro-active: we are forward looking and seek to drive positive change. • Committed: we are focused on the challenges of achieving equity. | |||
| Good turnout for RMI
Christmas function Wellington’s Faultline Chorus entertained at this year’s RMI Christmas function where guests included politicians, media and Government department representatives, as well as patient and industry groups. The evening
was MC’d by sanofi-aventis Country Manager, Alan Carter, who
introduced new RMI Board chairman, Lex Henry, and new CEO, Denise
Wood, to around 50 invitees. Mr Henry and Ms Wood’s speeches are
reproduced later in this newsletter.
For more photographs
of the evening click here. | |||
 (L-R) Stefan Crausaz and
Lisa Williams (PHARMAC)
and Sarah Thomson
(Diabetes NZ). | |||
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Excerpts from
“Kia Ora. Can I
thank all of you for accepting our invitation. I would like to
specifically acknowledge Dr Pippa MacKay, the most recent chairman
of the RMI for her commitment to the organisation, and also Dick
[Richard] Nottage who was also chairman, and someone whose
considerable international skills can be called on as we move
forward with the Trans Pacific Partnership. I have a strong interest in health through iwi, University, law, medical software and merchant banking – but most importantly I receive a twice daily briefing from a clinical team leader for dental services in Auckland – coincidently, that clinical team leader is my wife, Lyn. What she constantly emphasises is the need for a patient-centric health environment. I agree with her – it’s hard not to. However, we are at the cusp of major change in our health sector - the funding challenges; the need to deliver high quality primary health outcomes; the need to ensure that the reforms which Murray Horn and others have recommended are implemented; the need to support pharmaceutical research and to protect the intellectual property which results. The key question for me is whether New Zealand is getting optimal performance from its health sector. I do not think so. I am sure that representatives of Breast Cancer, Diabetes and Arthritis groups would have comments to make. Are we taking steps to improve? Definitely yes, as evidenced from the Horn Report and crucial initiatives such as PHARMAC’s inaugural Hiwinui Heke Scholarship. The pharmaceutical industry has a significant role to play in New Zealand. We need to see increased involvement in New Zealand Research and Development, especially with a burgeoning biotech sector. What’s needed (no pun intended) is a healthy but short debate about performance of the sector. The presence here of MPs, officials, Colleges and Practitioners Association, Business New Zealand, media and diplomatic representatives illustrates that the debate can occur. And we also need to include the Universities and research organisations. Thank you for being here. Festive Greetings, and may 2010 see a very healthy debate.” | |||
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Speech from RMI CEO Denise
Wood
"Good evening everyone. I may have been in this
role just a few short weeks, but I have been engaged in the health
sector for many years. I join the RMI at a very exciting time
for the healthcare industry. I haven’t had much of a honeymoon period, as we have got straight on with the business of redefining our strategy to ensure we are focussing on placing the patient at the centre of everything we do. When we meet again in a year’s time, I expect you to hold us accountable for our performance against our new vision and mission. Likewise we will be holding our stakeholders accountable for their contribution to the changing healthcare environment. I look forward to meeting you this evening and working with you through 2010. Please enjoy your evening and I wish you and your families a very peaceful Christmas and New Year." | |||
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RMI to survey stakeholders The RMI is to conduct an online survey to gauge
stakeholder perception of the organisation’s issues and challenges.
RMI CEO, Denise Wood, says a wide range of
groups around the country will be asked to take part. These include
key media, politicians, patient advocates, health professionals,
Maori and Pacific Island health providers, Government departments,
business and research groups and RMI members.
“The RMI is keen to receive feedback on how
effective the organisation is, and how well its work and role within
New Zealand’s health sector is understood within the community,” Ms
Wood says.
“This is a period of change for the RMI, and
knowing our stakeholders views on a range of issues will greatly
assist us over the next few years,” she said.
The survey will run from late January until
early February, with results collated in time for the RMI AGM in
March.
Upcoming
events
-10 March: IMS Health breakfast.
Venue: Sydney Australia. Contact www.imshealth.com
- 30-31 March - Healthcare in Asia 2010 - investing
in tomorrow. Venue: The Fullerton Hotel,
Singapore. Contact christopherluk@economist.com
Merry
Christmas- and
all the best for 2010 from the staff at the RMI - Denise
Wood, Kevin Sheehy and Michelle
Gibbs.
Note - the RMI office will close
at noon Christmas Eve and open again Monday, 11th January
2010.
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