Community pharmacies serving the Hibiscus Coast are preparing for 12-month prescriptions from Sunday, February 1, with no detail yet on how dispensing will be reimbursed.

From February 1, people with stable long-term conditions such as asthma and diabetes will be eligible for 12-month prescriptions, up from a three-month limit.

The change is intended to reduce GP visits and lower costs for patients by allowing medicines to be paid for or collected less frequently.

Sector leaders say the public funding model needs urgent reform so pharmacies can be financially sustainable from dispensing and clinical services alone, rather than relying on retail margins to support core healthcare functions.

Zoom Health director David Taylor says the shift adds uncertainty for pharmacies already under pressure.

He says retail cross-subsidy is no longer sustainable, particularly for New Zealand-owned community pharmacies competing with large discount operators.

Te Whatu Ora data cited in the statement shows rising demand. As at September 2025, 1,806,836 New Zealanders were using community pharmacy services each month, up from 1,693,515 in September 2022.

Pharmacies dispensed 98.6 million prescription items annually over the same period, up 4.4 percent year on year.

Capacity has moved the other way.

The number of community pharmacies fell to 1,069 in September 2025, down from 1,091 in September 2022.

Workforce constraints are also flagged, with the statement citing around 8 pharmacists per 10,000 people in mid-2025, compared with about 9.4 in Australia and around 11 per 10,000 in Canada and the United States.

It also cites regional gaps including Tasman at around 2.5 pharmacists per 10,000 people and Northland at about 6.8 per 10,000.

Long-term condition demand is rising.

Te Whatu Ora data cited shows publicly funded long-term condition medicine management services increased from 144,733 people in September 2022 to 170,078 in September 2025.

Zoom Health pharmacist and director Din Redzepagic says declining physical access can increase the risk of missed doses, delayed treatment, and avoidable deterioration in health.

He also says pharmacies have become an essential provider of vaccination services, and reduced access can push more pressure back onto general practice.

For Hibiscus Coast residents, the immediate change is eligibility for 12-month prescriptions for stable long-term conditions from Sunday, February 1.

Sector leaders are calling for a funding structure that recognises dispensing and clinical work, so access remains reliable as demand grows.

Get the Hibiscus Coast headlines first.

Corrections, tips, or photos, [email protected]