Pharmac chief executive officer Sarah Fitt has resigned.
Fitt had been in the position for seven years, beginning in 2018.
In a statement, the Pharmac board said: “The board and Pharmac are appreciative of all of Sarah’s work over her times as chief executive and her previous five years in senior executive roles in the organisation.”
“Sarah has provided valuable leadership across significant projects and strategic initiatives. We thank her for her work and commitment over her 12 years with us.”
It added Fitt was “looking forward to future endeavours”.
“Sarah’s last day will be 30 May with her taking a period of leave in April and May.”
Pharmac would commence recruitment for a new CEO “shortly”, the statement said.
The Pharmac website said the agency, under Fitt’s leadership, had expanded the number and range of funded medicines to New Zealanders.
It also noted her leadership had overseen widened access to community funded medicines, managed funding medicines in all New Zealand public hospitals, and laid the groundwork for Pharmac to manage hospital medical devices.
Minister acknowledges resignation
Associate Health Minister David Seymour acknowledged Fitt’s resignation, and thanked her for her work.
“I would like to thank Sarah for her work and commitment to improving medicines access over the past 12 years at Pharmac, seven spent as chief executive,” he said.
“Since becoming Minister responsible for Pharmac I have been impressed by Sarah’s commitment to focussing Pharmac on its core role of expanding opportunities and access for patients.
“I acknowledge Sarah’s decision to step down from the role and thank her for her work in providing modern healthcare for New Zealanders.”
Seymour wished Fitt the “very best” in the future.
Review ordered late last year
In December, Pharmac chairwoman Paula Bennett said she had ordered a “short, sharp” organisational review, to be carried out by Debbie Francis.
It was to look at its internal culture and relationships with stakeholders, including patients.
When Fitt was first appointed in the role in 2018, she was described by then chairman Stuart McLauchlan as “one of the most outstanding clinical leaders in New Zealand”.
“Her experience is going to be vital for the continuity of Pharmac and we wanted to ensure that we retained that talent,” he said at the time.
Other top health officials who have resigned in recent weeks included Health New Zealand chief executive Fepulea’i Margie Apa, Director-General of Health, Diana Sarfati, and Director of Public Health Nicholas Jones.
