Tēnā koe,
Under the Official Information Act 1982, I request:

Any clinical governance framework, policy, or structure document that describes how MSD ensures clinical decisions are made appropriately, any quality assurance processes for medical-related decisions, who has clinical accountability for decisions that involve medical assessments, and whether MSD has sought external clinical governance advice in the past five years.
The current number of Designated Health Practitioners contracted to provide second opinions, their registration types (medical practitioners, nurse practitioners, psychologists), the regions or areas they cover, the reimbursement rates paid for second opinion assessments, and any information about ethnic or demographic diversity of the panel.
For each calendar year from 2020 to 2025: the number of second opinion assessments requested through the Designated Health Practitioner pathway, the number completed, the outcomes (original decision confirmed/overturned), the benefit types these related to, and the ethnicity of clients who accessed this pathway.
Any correspondence between MSD and the Medical Council of New Zealand regarding: the scope of practice appropriate for medical staff employed by MSD, whether non-examining clinicians can appropriately override treating practitioner assessments, and clinical governance arrangements at MSD. For the period 1 January 2020 to present.

I look forward to your response within 20 working days as required by the Act.
Ngā mihi

DOGE