Dear Health and Disability Commissioner,

This report outlines a situation in which a consumer's rights were breached- https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/philip-pol.... HDC appears to have apologised, however, in the context, that wouldn't seem appropriate. HDC would know that even in situations where health organisations apologise, the circumstances rise to the level of still needing to investigate. Indeed, this is a common practice of the HDC. Please outline the process that HDC will follow to ensure that an independent review of the situation is undertaken and consideration is made as to whether HDC breached the HDC Code of Rights.

Furthermore, outline how often HDC has concerns raised which it is subsequently identified through other means, that HDC has breached the consumer's rights. Identify the process undertaken by HDC to determine which of these cases is made public in its online decisions. Outline the HDC's claims processes and how it reimburses people who have raised concerns that it does not appropriately investigate, but then through utilisation of its own funding, identify that a breach has indeed occurred or some other important matter was raised.

Determine what international standards or external audit bodies review HDC's approach, and provide a copy of these. Release all relevant internal audit reports from the past five years.

Lastly, HDC has now moved away from directly answering its phones and is very restrictive in terms of consumer and provider contact. Often HDC responses do not include identifiable details from HDC workers. Provide the SOPs that underlie this approach, any advice HDC has received as to whether this approach is lawful, and HDCs assessment of the impact on consumers, providers and its own workers.

Yours faithfully,

Lauren Doocy