MDHB News

Patient Rights & Responsibilities

As a health and disability provider, MidCentral Health complies with the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990, the Human Rights Act 1993, the Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994 and the Code of Health and Disability Consumer's Rights 1996. MidCentral Health also has its own patient Statement of Rights, which you can read on this page. You can also read on this page a Statement of Responsibilities for all persons who access MDHB's health care services.

Patient at Palmerston North Hospital talking with a nurse.

MidCentral DHB's Statement of Rights (Patients' Rights)

As a consumer of Health and Disability Services, you have the following rights:

Right One:

You should be treated with respect, including respect for your personal privacy.
Services should take into account your cultural, religious, social and ethnic needs, values and beliefs.

Right Two:

You should be free from discrimination on the grounds of age, gender, race, beliefs, marital or family status, employment, sexual orientation or disability.
Services should be delivered without coercion, harassment or any form of exploitation.

Right Three:

Services should be provided in a way that respects your dignity and independence.

Right Four:

Services should:

be provided with reasonable care and skill
meet legal, ethical, professional and other relevant standards
be consistent with your needs
minimise potential harm.
providers should co-operate with each other to ensure you have quality care.

Right Five:

Information should be given in a form, language and manner which you can understand.
You should be listened to.
A competent interpreter should be available if you need one and if it is reasonably practicable.
Communication should take place in an environment that supports open, honest and effective discussion.

Right Six:

You should always receive the following information:

an explanation of your condition
your options, including the expected risks, side effects, benefits and costs
an estimate of when you will receive a service
advice of any possible involvement in teaching or research
the results of tests or procedures
the information you need to make a decision.
you should be given honest answers to your questions relating to services. This includes questions about:
- the identity or qualifications of a provider
- your provider’s recommendations
- how to get another opinion
- results of research which you were involved in.
You have a right to request and receive a written summary of information.

Right Seven:

You should receive a service only when you have made an informed choice and given your informed consent.
You should be presumed to be competent to make choices and give consent unless there are reasonable grounds for a provider to conclude otherwise.
If you have diminished competence (for example, a child) you should be allowed to make choices and give consent to the level of your ability.
In circumstances where services have to be delivered without your consent, they should be in your best interests. Steps should be taken to discover whether services would be consistent with your wishes, including discussing the matter with available family and close friends.
You may make a decision in advance, in accordance with common law.
Your consent should be obtained in writing when you will be involved in research, an experimental procedure, a general anaesthetic or where there are possible significant adverse effects.
You may refuse services and withdraw your consent.
You may change to another provider where it is practicable to do so.
You may make decisions about body parts or bodily substances.

Right Eight:

You may have a support person or persons of your choice with you, as long as it is safe and other consumers’ rights are not unreasonably affected.

Right Nine:

All of these rights apply when you are being asked about or taking part in teaching or research.

Right 10:

You may make a complaint in any form appropriate to you.
You should be kept informed about the progress and outcome of your complaint.
You should be advised of the availability of advocates and the Health and Disability Commissioner to assist with your complaint.
You should not be adversely affected by complaining.

To make comments/complaints or suggestions on any aspect of services:

You can do this through discussion with MidCentral Health staff providing your care, or by making contact with (written or verbal) the Customer Relations Coordinator.

Do these rights always apply?

Sometimes a provider may not be able to meet all of these rights. However, they must always do what they reasonably can under the circumstances.

Patient Responsibilities

As a consumer of Health and Disability Services, MDHB asks that you:

Treat others with respect, courtesy and consideration, this includes respect for their culture, values, beliefs, as well as their personal privacy.
Treat MidCentral Health’s facilities and equipment with care and to assist in retaining a pleasant, healthy and safe environment.
Maintain loan/hired equipment as requested and return as soon as you no longer need it.
Observe MidCentral Health’s no smoking policy.
Restrict the use of alcohol and drugs on MidCentral Health premises to those only that have been authorised by the Doctor responsible for patient care or some other person authorised by MidCentral Health.
Inform appropriate staff if you no longer require or wish to continue with treatment or services (e.g. surgery, clinic appointments, medication). If your decision is against medical advice, you will be asked to sign a statement releasing MidCentral Health and its staff from any responsibility.
Have a third party present during examinations/interviews if requested by MidCentral Health staff in line with professional and ethical standards.
Pay on the due date all accounts for services not provided free which have been agreed to in terms of the Statement of Rights. In the failure of any agreement being reached, you will pay a reasonable price for the services provided. Any failure to pay will then result in MidCentral Health, subject to the conditions of the Privacy Statement, taking appropriate measures to seek payment, including disclosures to credit agencies.

As a visitor to MidCentral health premises you are expected:

To observe all the appropriate responsibilities of a consumer.
To follow instructions of staff in the event of an emergency.
To comply with the requirements of all notices and instruction on all MidCentral Health sites.