28 May 2020
OIA 2020/080
Amy S Van Wey Lovatt
Email:
[FYI request #12108 email] Dear Amy
Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) – Response – OIA 2020/080 – referral pathways in the Capital &
Coast District Health Board (CCDHB) region Thank you for your official information request, which was transferred from the Ministry of Health to
Capital & Coast District Health Board (CCDHB) on 1 May 2020. You requested the following information:
“… a copy of each referral pathway for [the CCDHB region].”
You specified that
‘[g]iven that every DHB must "ensure that clear referral pathways are in place and
known to all clinicians", clearly such policies must exist… Thus, I request… these policies.’
On 12 May 2020, we contacted you to seek an amendment to the wording of your request in order to
aid us in our response. We advised you that there are a broad range of referral pathways across
services and specialties, both between and within our DHB. Each referral pathway is specific to a
specialty, and then again to the type of service required; and each pathway is different again according
to the level of detail contained therein.
The current wording of the request makes no specification of which specialty’s referral pathway is being
sought, or the level of detail required. We asked that you get in touch with us regarding an amendment
on or by 17 May 2020. As we have not heard from you regarding an amendment to the wording (or a
rescoping) of your request, we must refuse your request according to section 18(f) of the OIA, as it is
currently too broad for us to respond to without substantial collation and research.
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
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or free phone 0800 802
602.
Yours sincerely
Fionnagh Dougan
Chief Executive
Capital & Coast DHB | Private Bag 7902, Newtown, Wellington 6242
Wellington Regional Hospital, Riddiford Street, Newtown, Wellington 6021
www.ccdhb.org.nz | Phone: 04 385 5999
| Fax: 04 385 5856