January 14th, 2025

Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights
 
The Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994 established a Health and Disability Commissioner to oversee this act.  As part of their role they have developed a code of rights.  The act and the code are currently under review.
 
Health and Disability Commissioner (Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights) Regulations 1996
 
1. Consumers have rights and providers have duties:​
 
(1)     Every consumer has the rights in this Code.
(2)     Every provider is subject to the duties in this Code.
(3)      Every provider must take action to:
             (a)    inform consumers of their rights; and
             (b)    enable consumers to exercise their rights.
 

2. Rights of consumers and duties of provider

The rights of consumers and the duties of providers under this Code are as follows:
 
Right 1
Right to be treated with respect
 
(1)    Every consumer has the right to be treated with respect.
(2)    Every consumer has the right to have his or her privacy respected.
(3)    Every consumer has the right to be provided with services that take into account                                  the needs, values, and beliefs of different cultural, religious, social, and ethnic                                         groups, including the needs, values, and beliefs of Māori.
 
Right 2
Right to freedom from discrimination, coercion, harassment, and exploitation
 
Every consumer has the right to be free from discrimination, coercion, harassment, and sexual, financial or other exploitation.

Right 3
Right to dignity and independence
 
Every consumer has the right to have services provided in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of the individual.
 
Right 4
Right to services of an appropriate standard

(1)  Every consumer has the right to have services provided with reasonable care and                                 skill.
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(2) Every consumer has the right to have services provided that comply with legal,                                 
(3) Every consumer has the right to have services provided in a manner that                                               minimises the potential harm to, and optimises the quality of life of, that consumer.                                
(4)  Every consumer has the right to co-operation among providers to ensure quality and                           continuity of services. 
 
 
Right 5
Right to effective communication
 
(1)   Every consumer has the right to effective communication in a form, language, and                 
        manner that enables the consumer to understand the information provided.                                          Where necessary and reasonably practicable, this includes the right to a competent                             interpreter.

 (2)    Every consumer has the right to an environment that enables both consumer and               
​          provider to communicate openly, honestly, and effectively.

 Right 6
Right to be fully informed
 
(1)  Every consumer has the right to the information that a reasonable consumer, in                                     that consumer's circumstances, would expect to receive, including:
        (a)    an explanation of his or her condition; and
        (b)   an explanation of the options available, including an assessment of the expected                                 risks, side effects, benefits, and costs of each option; and
        (c)     advice of the estimated time within which the services will be provided; and
        (d)     notification of any proposed participation in teaching or research, including                                            whether the research requires and has received ethical approval; and
        (e)     any other information required by legal, professional, ethical, and other                                                    relevant standards; and
        (f)      the results of tests; and
        (g)     the results of procedures.
 
(2)     Before making a choice or giving consent, every consumer has the right to the                                      information that a reasonable consumer, in that consumer's circumstances,
          needs to make an informed choice or give informed consent.
 
(3)      Every consumer has the right to honest and accurate answers to questions
           relating to services, including questions about:
             (a)     the identity and qualifications of the provider; and
             (b)     the recommendation of the provider; and
             (c)     how to obtain an opinion from another provider; and
             (d)     the results of research.
 
(4)        Every consumer has the right to receive, on request, a written summary of
             information provided.
 
Right 7
Right to make an informed choice and give informed consent

(1)       Services may be provided to a consumer only if that consumer makes an informed
            choice and gives informed consent, except where any enactment, or the common
            law, or any other provision of this Code provides otherwise.

(2)      Every consumer must be presumed competent to make an informed choice and
           give informed consent, unless there are reasonable grounds for believing that the
           consumer is not competent.

(3)       Where a consumer has diminished competence, that consumer retains the right                                  to make informed choices and give informed consent, to the extent appropriate to                                his or her level of competence.

 (4)      Where a consumer is not competent to make an informed choice and give                                            informed consent, and no person entitled to consent on behalf of the consumer is                                available, the provider may provide services where:
             (a)   it is in the best interests of the consumer; and
             (b)   reasonable steps have been taken to ascertain the views of the consumer;  and
             (c)   either:
                    (i)   if the consumer's views have been ascertained, and having regard to those                                             views, the provider believes, on reasonable grounds, that the provision of 
                           the services is consistent with the informed choice the consumer would                                                 make if he or she were competent; or
                    (ii)  if the consumer's views have not been ascertained, the provider takes into                                             account the views of other suitable persons who are interested in the welfare                                       of the consumer and available to advise the provider.
 
(5)       Every consumer may use an advance directive in accordance with the common law.
 
(6)        Where informed consent to a health care procedure is required, it must be in writing if:
                (a)   the consumer is to participate in any research; or
                (b)   the procedure is experimental; or
                (c)  the consumer will be under general anaesthetic; or
                (d)  there is a significant risk of adverse effects on the consumer.
 
(7)         Every consumer has the right to refuse services and to withdraw consent to                           
              services.
 
(8)          Every consumer has the right to express a preference as to who will provide services                          and have that preference met where practicable.
 
(9)          Every consumer has the right to make a decision about the return or disposal of any                           body parts or bodily substances removed or obtained in the course of a health care                             procedure.
 
(10)        No body part or bodily substance removed or obtained in the course of a health care                           procedure may be stored, preserved, or used otherwise than
               (a)   with the informed consent of the consumer; or
               (b)   for the purposes of research that has received the approval of an ethics committee; or
               (c)    for the purposes of 1 or more of the following activities, being activities that are  each                          undertaken to assure or improve the quality of services:
                         (i)  a professionally recognised quality assurance programme:
                         (ii) an external audit of services:
                         (iii) an external evaluation of services.

Right 8
Right to support
 
Every consumer has the right to have one or more support persons of his or her choice present, except where safety may be compromised or another consumer's rights may be unreasonably infringed.
 
Right 9
Rights in respect of teaching or research
 
The rights in this Code extend to those occasions when a consumer is participating in, or it is proposed that a consumer participate in, teaching or research.
 
 
Right 10
Right to complain
 
(1)   Every consumer has the right to complain about a provider in any form appropriate to the     
         consumer.
(2)    Every consumer may make a complaint to:
           (a)     the individual or individuals who provided the services complained of; and
           (b)     any person authorised to receive complaints about that provider; and
           (c)      any other appropriate person, including:
                      (i)  an independent advocate provided under the Health and Disability                                                            Commissioner Act 1994; and
                       (ii)  the Health and Disability Commissioner.
 
(3)      Every provider must facilitate the fair, simple, speedy, and efficient resolution of
           complaints.
 
(4)      Every provider must inform a consumer about progress on the consumer complaint
            at intervals of not more than 1 month.
 
(5)      Every provider must comply with all the other relevant rights in this Code when dealing with 
           complaints.
 
(6)      Every provider, unless an employee of a provider, must have a complaints procedure                           that ensures that:
           (a)   the complaint is acknowledged in writing within 5 working days of receipt,                       
                    period; and
           (b)    the consumer is informed of any relevant internal and external complaints                                             procedures, including the availability of:
                   (i)  independent advocates provided under the Health and Disability                                                               Commissioner Act 1994; and
                    (ii)  the Health and Disability Commissioner; and
           (c)    the consumer's complaint and the actions of the provider regarding that                                                    complaint are documented; and
            (d)    the consumer receives all information held by the provider that is or may be                                           relevant to the complaint.
 
(7)        Within 10 working days of giving written acknowledgement of a complaint, the                                     provider must:
                (a)  decide whether the provider:
                       (i)   a ccepts that the complaint is justified; or
                       (ii)    does not accept that the complaint is justified; or
                 (b)  if it decides that more time is needed to investigate the complaint:
                       (i)   determine how much additional time is needed; and
                       (ii)  if that additional time is more than 20 working days, inform the consumer of  that
                              determination and of the reasons for it.
 
(8)        As soon as practicable after a provider decides whether or not it accepts that a. complaint
             is justified, the provider must inform the consumer of
              (a)   the reasons for the decision; and
              (b) any actions the provider proposes to take; and
              (c) any appeal procedure the provider has in place.

​My Health Passport

The Commissioner has also developed a Health Passport to assist, those of us with disabilities and those of us who have interactions with health services.
 
My Health Passport is a booklet where you can write down information about how you want people to communicate with you and support you when you receive a health or disability service.  Available in a variety of accessible versions.
 
What is My Health Passport?
 
My Health Passport is a booklet that you can carry with you when you visit health and disability services. The booklet has information about how you want people to communicate with you and support you when you use health or disability services.
My Health Passport is not a tool to help doctors diagnose or monitor patients. It is not a substitute for a patient’s medical records.
 
 
The above information has been sourced from the Health and Disability Commissioner website www.hdc.org.nz December 2024

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