Requesting information related to DHB interference with private social media posts of patients.
Aaron Goodwin made this Official Information request to Health New Zealand
The request was partially successful.
From: Aaron Goodwin
Dear Health New Zealand,
I have tried to make this request using the email link provided on the TWO website, but it doesn't seem to want to appear as having been processed in my sent folder.
I am requesting an answer to the following questions I have regarding the alleged interference of Canterbury health staff in the social media posts of patients.
1. I have been advised by a Christchurch hospital doctor, whose name I happy to provide on request and in a less public method of communication, that the former DHB utilised the services of a team with direct access to moderators of social media platforms such as Facebook, for the purposes of having posts unfavourable to the hospital removed or amended. Does the the new Te Whatu Ora still retain a social media communications team with direct access to content moderation teams from platforms such as Facebook, and, if so, does that team ever attempt to have social media posts made by health patients removed or amended by platforms such as Facebook?
2. How many patients of Christchurch Hospital have had their private social media posts removed or moderated at the request of staff from Christchurch Hospital/Canterbury DHB/Te Whatu Ora over the past 5 years?
*Please note with regard to question 2 I am asking for numbers only and not personally identifiable information.*
3. What is, or was, the process involved when staff from the former Canterbury DHB and, if applicable, current Canterbury branch of Te Whatu Ora, interact with social media platforms for the purpose of having the private social media posts of health patients moderated?
4. Are New Zealand health patients ever consulted about, or given an opportunity to participate in any process undertaken by health staff to have social media platforms moderate or remove the social media content of those patients?
Yours faithfully,
Aaron Goodwin
From: hnzOIA
Health New Zealand
Tēnā koe,
Thank you for contacting Te Whatu Ora, Health NZ. This is an automatic
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days. We will try to respond to your query as quickly as possible.
s information that is identified to be of general public interest, the
response may also be published on our website. If we e response to your
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Ngā mihi
Te Whatu Ora, Health NZ.
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From: hnzOIA
Health New Zealand
Kia ora Aaron
Please find attached our response to your request.
If you have any questions, please get in touch at
[1][Health New Zealand request email].
If you are not happy with this response, you have the right to make a
complaint to the Ombudsman. Information about how to do this is available
at [2]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or by phoning 0800 802 602.
Ngā mihi,
Ninad Ingulkar
Te Whatu Ora Ministerial Team
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References
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1. mailto:[Health New Zealand request email]
2. file:///tmp/foiextract20230811-36-1b3sgyi#
Campbell Larsen left an annotation ()
Sections 61- 64 of the guideline document here: https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/... deal with checking and withholding mail and electronic communications in relation to the Substance Addiction Act. These may be indicative of broader policy with the MoH in relation to patients receiving treatment. Worth a look.
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- Download a zip file of all correspondence
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Aaron Goodwin left an annotation ()
The response to this OIA request contains part of the information I was seeking, and the information that was provided is contradictory to what staff on the ground at Christchurch public hospital have claimed.
This is disconcerting.
None of the criteria cited in the response as the threshold for when Te Whatu Ora intervene in social media posts apply to my experience, which is of further concern.
If anything, this response provides a basis for more questions to be asked than it provides in the way of answers.
I will decide soon whether or not this issue requires further probing, although I'm quite convinced this response confirms my suspicion that the interference of TWO/Health NZ in my case (and the experience that followed) was improper.
Link to this