23 September 2025
Peter Gregory
By email: [FYI request #32145 email]
Tēnā koe Mr Gregory
Re:
Information request
Our ref:
E25HDC01149
Thank you for your email
of
28 August 2025 requesting:
Under the Official Information Act 1982, I request the following information
regarding complaints received and managed by the Health and Disability
Commissioner from January 2020 to the present:
Monthly complaint volumes
-The number of complaints received by the HDC in each calendar month since
January 2020 groubed by the facility of complaint ie (Hospital or practicioner).
Complaint outcomes
-For each month, the number of complaints:
-processed/resolved,
-withdrawn by the complainant,
-outstanding/not yet finalised.
Outstanding complaint age
-For all outstanding complaints as at the most recent reporting date:
-The number that have been open for:
-Less than 3 months,
-Between 3–6 months,
-Between 6–12 months,
-Longer than 12 months.
On 15 September 2025 you scoped the request to complaints against hospitals.
We have considered your request under the Official Information Act 1982.
Refusal of request
We are refusing your request under section 18(f) of the OIA because of the substantial amount
of work that would be required to research and collate the information you have requested
which will significantly impact on the HDC’s other operations.
Auckland Office: P O Box 1791 Auckland 1140; Wel ington Office: PO Box 11934, Wel ington 6142
Freephone: 0800 11 22 33; Email: [email address]; Website: www.hdc.org.nz
2
Provision of the information will require us to access and analyse more than 6000
complaint files individually. We do not consider charging or extending the timeframe
for responding will enable us to meet your request.
However, we trust that the following information is of some assistance.
Information about the number of complaints HDC receives, the source of complaints
and outcomes in each financial year (from 1 July to 30 June) can be found in HDC’s
annual reports:
2019-2020:
https://www.hdc.org.nz/media/sxikmzfi/hdc-annual-report-2020.pdf
See page 7, 16-19.
2020-2021:
https://www.hdc.org.nz/media/rcdn3yjz/hdc-annual-report-2021.pdf
See page 5, 11-15
2021- 2022:
https://www.hdc.org.nz/media/gu5l4iid/hdc-annual-report-2022.pdf
See pages 7-6, 15-21.
2022 -2023: https://www.hdc.org.nz/media/wzpdch0g/hdc-annual-report-2023.pdf
See pages 22-23, 25-31.
2023 -2024:
https://www.hdc.org.nz/media/pobnpdgw/hdc-annual-report-2024.pdf
See pages 24-25, 33-39
In the period from 1 January 2020 to 28 August 2025 HDC received 6779 complaints
that related to public hospitals.
Information about complaints received by HDC about public hospital services can be
found in six monthly reports published on our website:
https://www.hdc.org.nz/our-work/research-and-data-reports
Table 1 below contains data on the duration of complaints that were open and under
assessment by HDC as at 28 August 2025.
When considering the duration times below, there are a number of factors which can
impact the complexity of a complaint and the time it takes to resolve and investigate.
These factors include multiple providers/services involved, difficulties engaging with
consumers (e.g. where they are deceased or lack capacity), limited availability of
independent clinical advisors, co-operation of service providers, long periods of care
and complex clinical scenarios, and requirements to consult with other agencies.
3
Table 1. Duration of complaints that are open and under assessment
Duration
Number of complaints
Less than 3 months (<85 days)
149
Between 3-6 months (84 – 180 days)
79
Between 6-12 months (180 – 359 days) 109
Longer than 12 months (>359 days)
594
Total open
931
You may seek a review of this decision from the Office of the Ombudsman.
Nāku iti noa, nā
Dr Craig Goodwillie
OIA Team Leader
