Your rights as a patient and your responsibility

Code of Health and Disability Services - Consumer Rights

Every person who uses health and disability services has rights. The organisations and people who provide health and disability services have duties. These rights and duties are clearly set out in the Health and Disability Commissioner Code of rights.

In summary, your rights under this code are the:

right to be treated with respect
right to freedom from discrimination, coercion, harassment, and exploitation
right to dignity and independence
right to services of an appropriate standard
right to effective communication
right to be fully informed
right to make an informed choice and give informed consent
right to support
rights in respect of teaching or research
right to complain.

Health & Disability Advocacy

Health & Disability Advocacy provides a free, independent advocacy service to help people ensure their rights are respected.

Phone:0800 555 050

Email: advocacy@advocacy.org.nz

Privacy Act and Health Information Privacy Code

The Privacy Act controls how 'agencies' collect, use, disclose, store and give access to 'personal information'.

Find out more on the Privacy Commissioner's website.

The Health Information Privacy Code sets specific rules for agencies in the health sector. It covers health information collected, used, held and disclosed by health agencies and takes the place of the information privacy principles for the health sector.

The Privacy Commissioner's website provides a brochure for health consumers about your privacy rights.

Your health information

Te Whatu Ora Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley collects and holds information about all of our patients so we can provide the right care and treatment. Your information is confidential and the only staff who are allowed to see your records are those who are involved in your care.

If you are or have been a patient or client of ours, you have a right to ask and be given access to personal health information.

Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act

The Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (the Act) is about public safety. Its purpose is to protect the health and safety of members of the public by providing mechanisms to ensure the life long competence of health practitioners.

Ethical responsibilities of doctors

All members of the New Zealand Medical Association (NZMA) must agree to comply with a Code of Ethics for the medical profession. This sets out principles of ethical behaviour for all doctors, including those who may not be engaged directly in clinical practice. It also includes recommendations for ethical practice.

Download the NZMA Code of Ethics here.

Making a complaint

We welcome compliments, suggestions and complaints. Receiving feedback gives us an opportunity to improve our services and to pass on compliments to our hard working staff.

Patient and visitor charter

Coming to hospital, particularly if a loved one is sick or injured, is often challenging both physically and emotionally. It’s important that patients, staff and visitors all treat one another with respect and dignity. Our new patient and visitor behaviour charter makes it clear that we have zero tolerance for violence, aggression or harassment of any kind towards staff, patients or visitors. The charter also encourages visitors to talk to staff if they’re feeling frustrated or stressed.

Read our patient and visitor charter.

Our transparency statement

Read more about how we collect, use and share information about the people we provide health services to. This statement applies to information gathered by us, our contractors, or any other third parties engaged by us.

Last updated 9 May 2024.