Provider Healthcare Services
North Shore Hospital Campus
Shakespeare Road, Takapuna
Private Bag 93-503, Takapuna
Auckland 0740
Telephone: 09 489 0527
Facsimile: 09 486 8339
11 May 2020
Amy S Van Wey Lovatt
[FYI request #12517 email]
Dear Ms Van Wey Lovatt
Re: OIA request – Pathology specimens
Thank you for your Official Information Act request received on 22 March 2020 seeking information
about the policy on requests from third party providers of pathology specimens for second opinions
from Waitematā District Health Board (DHB).
You requested the fol owing information:
I respectful y 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 original y obtained?
Waitematā DHB’s laboratory does not have a specific policy for handling third party requests.
However, if the request for a second opinion comes from a third party, patient consent is required in
order to send slides/blocks for further review. In these instances, the costs may have to be borne by
the third party who has made the request e.g. if the request is related to a clinical trial.
If the reporting pathologist deems it necessary to seek a second opinion for diagnosis (national or
international), the request is made by the DHB’s surgical pathology department.
In the event that Waitematā DHB deviates from the aforementioned RCPA policy, I request an
explanation for why your DHB deviates from best practice
Waitematā DHB’s policy aligns with the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA)
guidelines.
I trust that this information is helpful.
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 consider there are good reasons why this response should not be made publicly available, we
wil be happy to consider your views.
Yours sincerely
Dr Debbie Holdsworth
Acting Director Hospital Services
Waitematā District Health Board
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