Pharmac would be in charge of procuring more technically advanced equipment such as for dental and oral health, respiratory and cardiology treatment, renal dialysis and neurophysiology.

“Pharmac are experts at assessing more technical devices with a direct therapeutic impact on patients. Those devices often need a high level of clinical input,” Seymour said.

“For Kiwis this means better health outcomes, greater productivity, and a stronger future.

“Patients may not have felt the problem, because inefficiency was the status quo. They will feel the difference.”

Health NZ’s annual spending on medical devices totalled nearly $1.5 billion.

Health Minister Simeon Brown said Health NZ would use its ability to bulk-buy and re-tender contracts to ensure “every dollar is delivering good value for patients”.

“Health New Zealand is best placed to lead procurement for devices that are less therapeutic but have higher integration requirements with facilities and models of care – such as hospital beds, diagnostic machines, and imaging equipment.”

Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald’s Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland.