133 Molesworth
Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
23 June 2020
T+64 4 496 2000
Amy S Van Wey Lovatt
By email:
[email address]
Ref:
H202004432
Dear Amy S Van Wey Lovatt
Partial transfer of your request for information to all district health boards
Thank you for your request of 17 June 2020 under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act)
to the Ministry of Health (the Ministry) for:
“Thus, again, I reiterate my request. I respectfully request a list of all of the "relevant
authorities" to which physicians must report "unsafe or unethical practices", with the
understanding that criminal behavior would be included under either "unsafe or
unethical practices".
I also request a copy of all DHB policies in regards to reporting unsafe, harmful,
criminal behavior, including the re-routing and interception of private
communications, and policies on how they document such incidents and how they
are to safeguard against such incidents, as the Operational Framework does indeed
require every DHB to have such policies.”
The Ministry does not hold information on the district health board (DHB) policies regarding
reporting unsafe, harmful and criminal behaviour, including the documentation and
prevention of such incidents. I have been advised that this information is more aligned with
the functions of the DHBs. As a result, I have decided to partially transfer the second part of
your request to all DHBs under section 14 of the Act. You can expect a response from the
DHBs in due course.
Please be advised, the Ministry will provide a response to the first part of your request
regarding the list of relevant authorities where physicians must report unsafe or unethical
practices.
You have the right, under section 28 of the Act, to ask the Ombudsman to review any
decisions made under this request.
Yours sincerely
Zoe Royden
Manager (Acting) OIA Services
Office of the Director-General