Patient Advocacy services.
If a family member is in hospital, and the hospital is not listening to you for any reason, the first thing to do is to get an advocate. Hospitals do have onsite advocates, but they are not as effective as the HDC advocates.
The Nationwide Health and Disability Consumer Advocacy Service is
provided under the Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994.
People wanting an independent health and disability advocate to inform them
of their rights and to provide assistance to resolve complaints can contact
0800 555 050 or email
advocacy@hdc.org.nz
HDC Advocates are on the side of the consumer and are legally required to be
independent of all providers including hospitals. As they are biased to
consumers they are also required to be independent of the Health and
Disability Commissioner who must consider all sides and take an impartial
view.
For more information including a copy of the legislation and the Code of
Consumers' Rights go to
http://www.hdc.org.nz
If anyone has a problem with an advocate, then they can ring 0800112233, and
ask to speak to the Director of Advocacy.