Dear Amy

 

Thank you for your Official Information Act request, received today.

 

We will provide a formal response to your request within the 20 working
days allowed under the Act.

 

It should be noted that many key staff involved with the sourcing and
preparation of material for your OIA request are also directly involved
with work associated with COVID-19.  This may impact on our ability to
respond to certain OIA requests within normal timeframes.

 

If, for any reason, we are unable to meet this deadline and need to extend
the timeframe for your response, we will be in touch to advise why this
has been necessary and to indicate when your response will be ready.

 

Please note that Waitematā DHB supports the open disclosure of information
to assist community understanding of how we are delivering publicly-funded
healthcare. This includes the proactive publication of anonymised Official
Information Act responses on our website from 10 working days after they
have been released.

 

If you feel that there are good reasons why your response should not be
made publicly available, we will be happy to consider this.

 

Regards

Anna

 

 

Anna Monastra I Senior Administration Assistant

Communications I Waitematā DHB

Level 2, 15 Shea Terrace, Private Bag 93-503, North Shore 0740
[1]www.waitematadhb.govt.nz

 

 

From: Amy S Van Wey Lovatt
<[2][email address]>
Date: 22 March 2020 at 4:51:42 AM NZDT
To: FOI requests at Waitemata District Health Board
<[3][Waitemata District Health Board request email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Best Practice: Archiving,
Storage, Biobanking of Human Tissue for Diagnostic Purposes

Dear DHB,

Request 1:
I am writing to request a copy of the your DHB's best practice protocol
for the archiving, storage, or biobanking of human tissue for diagnostic
purposes, whether they are formalin fixed, paraffin embedded or
pathology slides, and the standards, legislation or scientific evidence
which provides the basis for your DHB's protocol.

Request 2:
Is your DHB protocol for the archiving, storage, or biobanking of human
tissue for diagnostic purposes, whether they are formalin fixed,
paraffin embedded or pathology slides, based on a universally adopted
standard within NZ or has your DHB determined its own policy.

Request 3:
Please explain the potential hazards of leaving formalin fixed, paraffin
embedded or pathology slides in an unsecure, non-temperature and
non-humidity regulated environment for 2 months over a NZ summer: say a
on an employee's desk which is open to the public and in a repurposed
house adjacent to the hospital from mid December to late February.

Request 4:
Please provide me with the name of the independent agency or agencies
which provides oversight for your medical laboratory.

Thank you for your assistance in this matter. Please note, I have made
this same request to every DHB in NZ in order to ascertain if there is a
universal standard within NZ and also to determine if every DHB is
familiar with the hazards associated with mishandling of pathology
specimens.

Yours faithfully,

Amy S Van Wey Lovatt

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[4][email address]

Is [5][Waitemata District Health Board request email] the wrong address for Freedom
of Information requests to Waitemata District Health Board? If so,
please contact us using this form:
[6]https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=7264&a...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published
on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[7]https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=7264&a...

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

[8]Legal Disclaimer

References

Visible links
1. http://www.waitematadhb.govt.nz/
http://www.waitematadhb.govt.nz/
2. mailto:[email address]
3. mailto:[Waitemata District Health Board request email]
4. mailto:[email address]
5. mailto:[Waitemata District Health Board request email]
6. https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=7264&a...
7. https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=7264&a...
8. http://www.waitematadhb.govt.nz/Disclaim...

Dear Amy

 

Thank you for your Official Information Act request, received today.

 

We will provide a formal response to your request within the 20 working
days allowed under the Act.

 

It should be noted that many key staff involved with the sourcing and
preparation of material for your OIA request are also directly involved
with work associated with COVID-19.  This may impact on our ability to
respond to certain OIA requests within normal timeframes.

 

If, for any reason, we are unable to meet this deadline and need to extend
the timeframe for your response, we will be in touch to advise why this
has been necessary and to indicate when your response will be ready.

 

Please note that Waitematā DHB supports the open disclosure of information
to assist community understanding of how we are delivering publicly-funded
healthcare. This includes the proactive publication of anonymised Official
Information Act responses on our website from 10 working days after they
have been released.

 

If you feel that there are good reasons why your response should not be
made publicly available, we will be happy to consider this.

 

Regards

Anna

 

 

Anna Monastra I Senior Administration Assistant

Communications I Waitematā DHB

Level 2, 15 Shea Terrace, Private Bag 93-503, North Shore 0740

[1]www.waitematadhb.govt.nz

 

 

From: Amy S Van Wey Lovatt
<[2][FOI #12517 email]>
Date: 22 March 2020 at 4:31:58 AM NZDT
To: FOI requests at Waitemata District Health Board
<[3][Waitemata District Health Board request email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Policy on requests from third
party providers of pathology specimens for second opinion

Dear DHB,

I am a New Zealand citizen, which is demonstrated by the fact that the
MoH has already confirmed my citizenship prior to responding to my OIA
requests (or a google search of my name).

The Royal College of Pathologists Australasia has a policy titled
"Provision of second opinions with particular reference to morphological
examination", which addresses the best practice with regards to referral
for second and subsequent opinion of pathology specimens.

Request 1:
I respectfully request your DHB's policy on second opinions requested by
a third party who is a medical practitioner currently involved in the
medical care of the patient from whom the pathological material was
originally obtained.

Request 2:
In the event that your DHB deviates from the aforementioned RCPA policy,
I request an explanation for why your DHB deviates from best practice.

Please note, my request does not reflect the standard of care provided
at your DHB, but is to ascertain whether there is consistent adherence
to RCPA best practice amongst all NZ DHBs.

Yours faithfully,

Amy S Van Wey Lovatt

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[4][FOI #12517 email]

Is [5][Waitemata District Health Board request email] the wrong address for Freedom
of Information requests to Waitemata District Health Board? If so,
please contact us using this form:
[6]https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=7264&a...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published
on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[7]https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=7264&a...

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

[8]Legal Disclaimer

References

Visible links
1. http://www.waitematadhb.govt.nz/
http://www.waitematadhb.govt.nz/
2. mailto:[FOI #12517 email]
3. mailto:[Waitemata District Health Board request email]
4. mailto:[FOI #12517 email]
5. mailto:[Waitemata District Health Board request email]
6. https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=7264&a...
7. https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=7264&a...
8. http://www.waitematadhb.govt.nz/Disclaim...

Dear Amy

 

Further to your OIA request below, please be advised that we are unable to
process your request at this time due to our response to COVID-19.

 

Waitematā DHB is leading the response for the four Northern Region
District Health Boards which are collectively responsible for the health
of more than 1.7m people in the Northern region.  All of our clinicians
and managers are concentrating on measures to manage COVID-19.

 

Given these circumstances you will, therefore, understand that we do not
currently have the capacity to respond to OIA requests and, depending on
how COVID-19 spreads, we may not have the capacity for some time to come.

 

It is therefore necessary to extend the time required to make a decision
on your request for information in accordance with section 15A of the
Official Information Act. This is because the information cannot
reasonably be identified by the necessary people within 20 working days
without unreasonably interfering with our operations and/ or the
consultations necessary to make a decision on your request are such that a
response cannot be provided within the original timeframe. As such, we
expect that a decision will be made on your request and communicated to
you by August 2020.

You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of
this decision. Information about how to make a complaint is available at
[1]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.

If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request with us, including this
decision, please feel free to contact our Official Information Act
Manager, Denise Poole at [2][email address] or 021
198-0623.

 

Kind regards

Anna

 

Anna Monastra I Senior Administration Assistant

Communications I Waitematā DHB

Level 2, 15 Shea Terrace, Private Bag 93-503, North Shore 0740
[3]www.waitematadhb.govt.nz

Part-time hours: Monday - Thursday

 

 

 

From: Amy S Van Wey Lovatt
<[4][FOI #12517 email]>
Date: 22 March 2020 at 4:31:58 AM NZDT
To: FOI requests at Waitemata District Health Board
<[5][Waitemata District Health Board request email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Policy on requests from third
party providers of pathology specimens for second opinion

Dear DHB,

I am a New Zealand citizen, which is demonstrated by the fact that the
MoH has already confirmed my citizenship prior to responding to my OIA
requests (or a google search of my name).

The Royal College of Pathologists Australasia has a policy titled
"Provision of second opinions with particular reference to morphological
examination", which addresses the best practice with regards to referral
for second and subsequent opinion of pathology specimens.

Request 1:
I respectfully request your DHB's policy on second opinions requested by
a third party who is a medical practitioner currently involved in the
medical care of the patient from whom the pathological material was
originally obtained.

Request 2:
In the event that your DHB deviates from the aforementioned RCPA policy,
I request an explanation for why your DHB deviates from best practice.

Please note, my request does not reflect the standard of care provided
at your DHB, but is to ascertain whether there is consistent adherence
to RCPA best practice amongst all NZ DHBs.

Yours faithfully,

Amy S Van Wey Lovatt

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[6][FOI #12517 email]

Is [7][Waitemata District Health Board request email] the wrong address for Freedom
of Information requests to Waitemata District Health Board? If so,
please contact us using this form:
[8]https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=7264&a...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published
on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[9]https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=7264&a...

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

[10]Legal Disclaimer

References

Visible links
1. http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/
2. mailto:[email address]
3. http://www.waitematadhb.govt.nz/
http://www.waitematadhb.govt.nz/
4. mailto:[FOI #12517 email]
5. mailto:[Waitemata District Health Board request email]
6. mailto:[FOI #12517 email]
7. mailto:[Waitemata District Health Board request email]
8. https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=7264&a...
9. https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=7264&a...
10. http://www.waitematadhb.govt.nz/Disclaim...

Hi Amy

Please see the attached Waitematā DHB response to your recent Official
Information Act request regarding pathology specimens.

 

Regards

Anna

 

Anna Monastra I Senior Administration Assistant

Communications I Waitematā DHB

[1]www.waitematadhb.govt.nz

 

 

[2]Legal Disclaimer

References

Visible links
1. http://www.waitematadhb.govt.nz/
http://www.waitematadhb.govt.nz/
2. http://www.waitematadhb.govt.nz/Disclaim...

Hi, you have reached me outside my part-time hours. For any urgent queries
please phone our media line on 09 487 1276.  Otherwise, I will respond to
your email on Tuesday. Thanks Anna

[1]Legal Disclaimer

References

Visible links
1. http://www.waitematadhb.govt.nz/Disclaim...