Introduction | He kupu whakataki
The Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC) is legally required to review the Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994 (the Act) and the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights (the Code) and make recommendations to the Minister of Health. This 2024 review has focused on hearing from as many people as possible and has benefited significantly from public and sector engagement.
HDC is an independent Crown entity, and our role is to promote and protect the rights of all people in New Zealand who use health and disability services. We do this through the resolution of complaints about the quality of care provided to people, as well as through providing education on the Code and by contributing to quality and safety improvement at an individual and system-wide level. HDC also contracts the Nationwide Health and Disability Advocacy Service to assist people to resolve their concerns directly with providers and to undertake community-level promotion of the Code.
This report is structured in three parts.
- Part 1 sets out our findings from the 2024 Act and Code review and recommendations to the Minister of Health and the Minister of Disability Issues. Part 1 will be available in English, Māori, and accessible formats following the tabling of this report in Parliament.
- Part 2 outlines our approach to the review, including who we heard from.
- Part 3 provides supporting analysis, including a summary by topic of themes from engagement, and our comment and response. A more detailed summary of engagement, along with submissions (where proactive release permission was given), will be published following the tabling of this report in Parliament.
