BLOOD CANCER GROUP CALL FOR PHARMAC BOSS TO RESIGN OVER ‘DISGRACEFUL’ AND ‘DEEPLY OFFENSIVE’ STATEMENTS
MEDIA RELEASE
BLOOD CANCER GROUP CALL FOR PHARMAC BOSS TO RESIGN OVER ‘DISGRACEFUL’ AND ‘DEEPLY OFFENSIVE’ STATEMENTS
Dr Ruth Spearing, haematologist and Trustee of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia Advocates NZ, today called for the resignation of Pharmac CEO Sarah Fitt over revelations in internal emails released under the Official Information Act. The emails concerned journalist and outspoken critic of Pharmac, Rachel Smalley.
Dr Spearing said the emails revealed a sick, sneering culture inside Pharmac and a disgraceful attitude towards a person who has had the courage to speak out on behalf of patients who have been waiting years for Pharmac decisions on medicines.
“Sarah Fitt’s comments are not just unprofessional, they are deeply offensive, and demonstrate that she is entirely unfit to manage an organisation that has control over the lives and wellbeing of thousands of New Zealanders.
“It’s clear that Ms Fitt has created a crude, jokey clique among senior Pharmac staff, swapping childish, insulting remarks about Ms Smalley, even to the extent of composing a limerick about her.
“I call on Health Minister Ayesha Verrall, State Services Commissioner Peter Hughes and Pharmac Chair Steve Maharey to show that this behaviour by the leader of a government agency cannot be tolerated, and to demand her immediate resignation,” said Dr Spearing.
Rachel Smalley: Inside the minds of Pharmac’s leadership team – NZ Herald
For further information contact:
Dr Ruth Spearing CNZM, MBChB, FRACP, FRCPA
Trustee
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia Advocates NZ
027 512 6356
Ruth.spearing@gmail.com
About CLL Advocates NZ – CLL Advocates NZ
About Dr Ruth Spearing
Dr Ruth Spearing CNZM, MBChB, FRACP, FRCPA has been involved with haematology since 1980 and has been a leader nationally in haematology trials. She was the NZ Principal Investigator for many of the UK Medical Research Council/National Cancer Research Institute trials which New Zealand took part in from the late 1980s until two years ago. These included the first ever trial to show that treatment of CLL could lead to prolongation of life and not just control of the disease.
Ruth’s many leadership roles included being the Canterbury Clinical Lead for the Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Service, a Board Member of the New Zealand Medical Association, and an elected member of the Canterbury DHB Clinical Board. She was Chair of the Canterbury Hospitals’ Medical Staff Association for 14 years and was on the Board of the New Zealand Medical Association. She retired from direct patient care for family reasons but remains active in the Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group of which she is a Life Member and has recently joined its CLL Working Party.
A patient with CLL set up https://www.ruthspearingtrust.com/about_us a Trust in Ruth’s name for research in the South Island which helped fund the setting up of the Haematology Trials Unit in Dunedin and some specific CLL research done by the Christchurch Haematology Research Group, amongst other projects.