South Australian Policy Advisory Committee on Technology (SAPACT)

Convened in May 2014, the South Australian Policy Advisory Committee on Health Technology (SAPACT) is the statewide multi-disciplinary expert advisory committee of the South Australian Department for Health and Wellbeing, established to provide statewide governance, policy advice and independent evidence reviews regarding the safe, clinical- and cost-effective introduction of new, emerging and/or existing health technologies in SA Health.

Roles of SAPACT

The roles of SAPACT include:

  • Conduct Health Technology Assessment (HTA) reviews to inform SAPACT Advisory Recommendations for non-drug high-cost and high-risk health technologies and highly specialised therapies
  • Evaluated HTA aspects including regulatory approvals, quality of evidence, clinical need, clinical benefit (safety and clinical-effectiveness), suitability of patient group, financial considerations (device/procedural costs, cost-effectiveness, value for money, Australian funding approvals), feasibility of adoption and consistency with expected social/ethical and legal values.
  • Promotes equity of access to health technologies in SA Health.
  • Advises the SA Health Department the impact of new health technologies.

Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Policy Directive

In SA Health, efficient and effective HTA governance processes are crucial to support sustainable management of clinical innovation and publicly funded health technologies. The SA Health Policy on Health Technology Assessment in South Australia recognises that robust governance and the consistent application of evidence across the statewide HTA framework will strengthen the foundation on which health financing and commissioning arrangements are made. The statewide policy also delineates decision making and assessment between the statewide and LHN Committees based on risks and financial impact.

Scope of Evaluation

SAPACT's scope of evaluation are health technologies or clinical innovations which are high-cost, high-risk (regardless of anticipated expenditure associated with use) and/or have potential for system-wide efficiency or quality benefits from a statewide approach to technology implementation.

Health technologies are comprised of implantable devices, prostheses, diagnostic tests and medical and surgical procedures which are not already subjected to assessment through other SA Health pathways.

High-cost health technologies are defined by the predicted health system expenditure:

  • ≥ $100,000 for a Local Health Network (LHN) per year; or
  • ≥ $300,000 within the SA public health system per year.

High-risk health technologies are defined as technologies which are classified by TGA as class III or Active Implantable Medical Device (AIMD), regardless of the anticipated expenditure.

SAPACT Meeting Dates

SAPACT meets up to five times a year. The SAPACT meeting dates proposed for 2022 are: 5 March, 27 May, 12 August, 21 October and 9 December.

Application Process

Clinicians, clinical networks and other statewide groups (as relevant) lead the submissions of new health technology applications for consideration in SA Health. Kindly access the HTA Process Flowchart below for more information.

Step 1. Discuss potential application with the HTA Program Manager at 08 7117 9807 or email to Health.SAPACT@sa.gov.au

Step 2. Submit application and relevant documents

SAPACT also accepts LHN New Technology Committees Application Forms, to minimise paperwork duplication.

Step 3. A comprehensive SAPACT HTA Evaluation will commence.

  • Reviews the application, evidence and contact chief applicant for further information
  • Undertakes extensive consultation with key stakeholders, not limited to the chief applicant, national funding and regulatory bodies, LHN New Technology Committees, DHW leads, key clinicians and the health technology industry
  • Develops independent international evidence and policy reports to find, appraise and synthesise evidence of safety, clinical-effectiveness and cost-effectiveness.
  • Undertakes local feasibility reviews regarding patient numbers, patient eligibility criteria, local utilisation, economics and costing in SA Health
  • One to two SAPACT members will be selected as lead reviewers for your application

Step 4. Applicant will be invited to present and have a Q&A session at the SAPACT meeting.

Step 5. SAPACT informs applicant of the application outcome with a SAPACT letter detailing the SAPACT Advisory Recommendations. The associated LHN New Technology Committee will also be informed.

Step 6. A SAPACT HTA Decision Summary on the technology is developed and published on the SAPACT webpage

SAPACT HTA Decision-making Criteria

SAPACT makes advisory recommendations as guided by the SAPACT HTA Decision-making Criteria (PDF 79KB).

SAPACT Membership

SAPACT membership is comprised of Senior Clinicians from all Local Health Networks (LHNs) nominated by the LHN CEOs, HTA Specialists, Clinical Specialists, Health Economist, Ethicist, Commissioning Lead, Procurement and a Consumer Representative.

Chair: Professor Guy Maddern, RP Jepson Professor of Surgery; Discipline Leader – Surgery, SA Health

Manager: Dr Deborah Chen, HTA Program, Office of the Chief Pharmacist, SA Health
Convenor: Ms Naomi Burgess, Chief Pharmacist and Director, Medicines and Technology Programs, SA Health

Professor Rob Padbury Clinical Director, Division of Surgery and Perioperative Medicine, Flinders Medical Centre, SALHN

Dr John Maddison Executive Director of Medical Services, NALHN

Dr James Rice Executive Director of Medical Services - Clinical Governance, WCHN

Dr Hendrika Meyer Chief Clinical Advisor Rural Support Service, SA Health

Professor John Beltrame Michell Professor of Medicine, University of Adelaide; Director of Research, CALHN, and Consultant Cardiologist

Professor Brendon Kearney Site Clinical Director, SA Pathology

Dr Benjamin Reddi Senior Consultant, Intensive Care Unit, RAH

Dr John Slater Director, Health Economics and Analytics, Health Economics and Analytics Team (HEAT), SA Health

Dr David Hunter Senior Lecturer in Ethics and Professional Practice, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide

Mr David Tamblyn Team Leader (Medical Device Evaluation), Adelaide Health Technology Assessment (AHTA), University of Adelaide

Dr David Tivey Research Manager - Research & Evaluation, incorporating ASERNIP-S, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons

Dr Ken Lang Executive Director, System Design and Planning, SA Health (observer)

Health Technology Assessment Decision summaries

Contact

For enquiries, kindly contact Dr Deborah Chen, Manager of HTA Program, Office of the Chief Pharmacist, SA Health at health.SAPACT@sa.gov.au.

Related information

SAPACT works closely with the LHN New Technology Committees, SA Health Procurement and the national AHMAC Health Technology Reference Group.