Call for Proposals to Develop a NZ Medicines Formulary

The Hutt Valley District Health Board has been given the responsibility for leading a project to develop a medicines information resource, provisionally titled the New Zealand Medicines Formulary (‘NZMF').

Hutt Valley DHB is requesting proposals from a qualified organisation (or organisations) to develop, implement and support the New Zealand Medicines Formulary. The NZMF is intended to address the day-to-day information needs of New Zealand healthcare professionals who prescribe, dispense and administer medicines. Its purpose is to benefit the health outcomes of New Zealanders by contributing to the safe, effective and appropriate use of medicines.

The NZMF will aid decision making and contribute to best practice in medicines use by providing up-to-date information about the use of medicines that can be integrated into patient management and dispensary management systems. Clinical medicines information provided by the NZMF will include indications, cautions, contraindications, side-effects, warnings, dosage and consumer advisory information. The NZMF will be free of advertising.

The NZMF will be primarily aimed at GPs, RMOs (particularly junior doctors), midwives, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals needing general purpose information about the use of medicines. Content specifically aimed at consumers will be added over time.

The request for proposals has been put up on the government tendering (GETS) website here https://www.gets.govt.nz/Default.aspx?show=TenderDetail&TenderID=31928, or you can download a copy here. Organisations have until 28 February 2011 to respond. For further information, contact Shayne Hunter, lead person for the NZMF Project, by email shayne.hunter@huttvalleydhb.org.nz, cellphone +64 21 688 440.