Tēnā koe, 

 

Thank you for contacting Health NZ, Te Whatu Ora. This is an automatic
reply to confirm that we have received your email.  Depending on the
nature of your request you may not receive a response for up to 20 working
days.  We will try to respond to your query as quickly as possible.

 

 

Ngā mihi

 

Health NZ, Te Whatu Ora.

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Tēnā koe Andy,

Thank you for your email of 25 May 2024, asking for the following
information under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act):

In June 2023, Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall announced a review/evaluation of the
Equity Adjustor Tool.

Under the OIA, please provide me with:

- a copy of any final report that was produced at the conclusion of the
review/evaluation
- a summary of the main findings review/evaluation
- a summary of the changes, if any, that have resulted from the
review/evaluation
- or, an update on the review/evaluation and any interim findings if the
review/evaluation has not been completed

Please also answer the following questions:

- Is the Equity Adjustor Tool still in use?
- if it is still in use, please explain in what settings and how it is
being used
- On 19 September 2023, in response to an OIA request, your organisation
said: "Patients are first prioritised according to their clinical need and
placed into a clinical category. The equity tool is then used to help
determine the order in which patients are booked for surgery within each
clinical category. Factors taken into consideration include the length of
time someone has been waiting, Māori or Pacific ethnicity, patients from
low socio-economic areas and those living in rural areas." Is this still
an accurate characterisation of how the tool is being used?

This email is to let you know that Health NZ needs more time to make a
decision on your request.

The Act requires that we advise you of our decision on your request no
later than 20 working days after the day we received your request.
Unfortunately, it will not be possible to meet that time limit and we are
therefore writing to notify you of an extension of the time to make our
decision, to 9 July 2024. However, we will endeavour to provide a response
prior to this date where possible.

This extension is required because the external consultations necessary to
make a decision on your request are such that a proper response cannot
reasonably be made within the original time limit.

If you have any questions, please contact us
at [1][email address]

If you are not happy with this extension, you have the right to make a
complaint to the Ombudsman. Information about how to do this is available
at [2]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or by phoning 0800 802 602.

 

Nāku iti noa, nā

 

Caroline
Government Services
[3][email address]   

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora

Statement of confidentiality: This email message and any accompanying
attachments may contain information that is IN-CONFIDENCE and subject to
legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use,
disseminate, distribute or copy this message or attachments. If you have
received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and
delete this message

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[Health New Zealand request email]
2. http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/
3. mailto:[Health New Zealand request email]