Dr David Hughes confirmed as Pharmac’s new chief medical officer

Pharmac’s chief executive Sarah Fitt is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr David Hughes as Pharmac’s new chief medical officer.

“We are pleased to welcome David to the Pharmac team,” says Sarah. “He brings a wealth of experience from his time in the public health sector, with 22 years working in a number of roles in Counties Manukau District Health Board and the northern region.”

Dr Hughes began his medical career in mental health and has most recently held a number of clinical leadership roles within the public hospital system. He is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators and has a master’s degree in health service management from Massey University. He was also the clinical lead of the adverse events learning programme at the Health Quality and Safety Commission.

“As the chief medical officer for Pharmac, I want to bring the perspectives of health care professionals and the people who are using the medicines and devices we fund,” says Dr Hughes. “I am committed to improving equity of access to medicines, systems improvement, and consumer engagement.”

Pharmac’s chief medical officer sits within Pharmac’s senior leadership team. Their role is to support Pharmac’s decision making processes with the provision of timely, accurate clinical information across the organisation.

Dr Hughes replaces Dr Shirley Crawshaw who returned to the UK earlier this year for family reasons.