This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Official Information request 'Adverse event reports'.
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20 February 2017 
 
 
Antony Andrews 
[FYI request #5380 email] 
 
 
Dear Antony 
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act, made to the Health Quality & 
Safety Commission (the Commission) on 14 February.  
The Commission’s role, set out in legislation,is to lead and coordinate quality improvement to 
improve the quality and safety of health care and to advise government. As a part of this work, 
the Commission guides and supports the New Zealand health care sector in managing, 
reporting and analysing adverse events.  Our role includes maintaining a central repository for 
collecting information about adverse events and alerts. 
In your request to us you asked:  
On your website http://www.hqsc.govt.nz/our-programmes/adverse-events/serious-
adverse-events-reports/ the adverse event reports only goes back as far as 2006 - 2007.  
I would like to request under Official Information Act 1982, to provide the adverse event 
report for 2005-06. 
The first national publication of adverse events (titled Serious & Sentinel Events at the time) 
was the report you refer to, published in 2006/07.  
Prior to this time, there was no national report on adverse events within the health care sector. 
As the Commission was established in 2010, my staff discussed your request with the Ministry 
of Health and were advised that as there were no earlier reports, they also do not hold the 
information requested. Therefore, in response to your request under section 18(e) of the Official 
Information Act2 I cannot provide the information you have requested, as it does not exist. If you 
                                                        
1 Section 59B, New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000  
2 ‘That the document alleged to contain the information requested does not exist or, despite reasonable 
efforts to locate it, cannot be found’ 
 
 



would like further information, please send an email to [Health Quality and Safety Commission request email] and my staff will 
respond. 
You have the right, by way of complaint (under section 28(3) of the Official Information Act 
1982) to the Ombudsman, to seek an investigation and review of the Commission's decision. 
Information about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or 
0800 802-602. 
 
Kind regards 
 
Dr Janice Wilson 
Chief Executive