January 7, 2026
An attempt to balance the scales for rural emergency care providers has been put forward by Pharmac.
The government agency has proposed to fund seven medications for rural emergency use in a move backed by Associate Health ministers David Seymour and Matt Doocey.
Public hospitals and ambulances have funded access to emergency medication.
But community health providers, like rural midwives who handle homebirths, don’t currently have access to those same resources.
If the proposal is approved, the medications droperidol, ketamine, methoxyflurane, intravenous tranexamic acid, enoxaparin and two forms of glucose will become available to those community carers from March 2026.
Primary Response in Medical Emergency (PRIME) staff will have access to all seven medications.
Home birth carers will only get access to intravenous tranexamic acid, used to stop excess bleeding and a vital tool in treating post-partum hemorrhaging.
A Hato Hone St John spokesperson said the organisation “strongly supports” the proposal.
“[St John] believe it represents a major step forward in improving emergency and palliative care access for people living in rural and remote New Zealand.”
Minister Doocey said all New Zealanders should be able to access emergency care whether in the cities or living remotely.
“That’s why it’s so important that GPs, nurses, and midwives in rural communities have access to the same emergency medicines as hospitals and ambulance teams.
“We’re building a health system where location is not a barrier.
That’s also why we’re updating the way GP clinics are funded, with the new formula including rurality as a factor to ensure clinics in rural areas are better supported and funding goes where it’s needed most.
“These changes will strengthen both everyday and urgent care in rural communities, ease pressure on hospitals, and make sure patients get the care they need, when and where they need it.”
Deputy Prime Minister – and Minister responsible for Pharmac – David Seymour said the government want to make “he system work better for the people it serves.”
“Faster access to emergency care is important to people living in rural New Zealand, where ambulances can take longer to arrive and hospitals may be further away.
“This proposal seeks to equip rural GPs, nurses, and midwives with the same treatments for trauma and medical emergencies as hospitals and ambulances.”
By Anisha Satya
An attempt to balance the scales for rural emergency care providers has been put forward by Pharmac.
The government agency has proposed to fund seven medications for rural emergency use in a move backed by Associate Health ministers David Seymour and Matt Doocey.
Public hospitals and ambulances have funded access to emergency medication.
But community health providers, like rural midwives who handle homebirths, don’t currently have access to those same resources.
If the proposal is approved, the medications droperidol, ketamine, methoxyflurane, intravenous tranexamic acid, enoxaparin and two forms of glucose will become available to those community carers from March 2026.
Primary Response in Medical Emergency (PRIME) staff will have access to all seven medications.
Home birth carers will only get access to intravenous tranexamic acid, used to stop excess bleeding and a vital tool in treating post-partum hemorrhaging.
A Hato Hone St John spokesperson said the organisation “strongly supports” the proposal.
“[St John] believe it represents a major step forward in improving emergency and palliative care access for people living in rural and remote New Zealand.”
Minister Doocey said all New Zealanders should be able to access emergency care whether in the cities or living remotely.
“That’s why it’s so important that GPs, nurses, and midwives in rural communities have access to the same emergency medicines as hospitals and ambulance teams.
“We’re building a health system where location is not a barrier.
That’s also why we’re updating the way GP clinics are funded, with the new formula including rurality as a factor to ensure clinics in rural areas are better supported and funding goes where it’s needed most.
“These changes will strengthen both everyday and urgent care in rural communities, ease pressure on hospitals, and make sure patients get the care they need, when and where they need it.”
Deputy Prime Minister – and Minister responsible for Pharmac – David Seymour said the government want to make “he system work better for the people it serves.”
“Faster access to emergency care is important to people living in rural New Zealand, where ambulances can take longer to arrive and hospitals may be further away.
“This proposal seeks to equip rural GPs, nurses, and midwives with the same treatments for trauma and medical emergencies as hospitals and ambulances.”
By Anisha Satya
