Dear Amy

Re: Official Information Act request – Best Practice: Archiving, Storage,
Biobanking of Human Tissue for Diagnostic Purpose

 

The Nelson Marlborough District Health Board acknowledges receipt of your
request for Information under the Official Information Act 1982 (“the
Act”), received on 23 March 2020.

 

Your request has been forwarded to the appropriate person/service for
response within 20 working days of receipt, and if we are unable to
respond to your request by 22 April 2020 we will notify you of an
extension of that timeframe.

 

Consistent with the purpose of the Act, the letter notifying you of the
decision on your request will confirm if we intend to publish the
information contained in the response online, with your
personal/identifying information redacted.

We will endeavour to respond to your request as soon as reasonably
practicable.

 

Best Regards

 

Nelson Marlborough District Health Board | Private Bag 18 | Nelson 7040

DISCLAIMER:  This electronic message together with any attachments is
confidential.  If you are not the intended recipient, do not copy,
disclose or use the contents in any way.

Please also advise us by return e-mail that you have received the message
and then please destroy. NMDHB is not responsible for any changes made to
this message and / or

any attachments after sending by NMDHB.  We use virus scanning software
but exclude all liability for viruses or anything similar in this email or
any attachment.

 

[1]nmh icon       

 

From: Amy S Van Wey Lovatt
[mailto:[FOI #12523 email]]
Sent: Sunday, 22 March 2020 4:51 AM
To: OIA Request NMDHB <[email address]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Best Practice: Archiving,
Storage, Biobanking of Human Tissue for Diagnostic Purposes

 

Dear DHB,

Request 1:
I am writing to request a copy of the your DHB's best practice protocol
for the archiving, storage, or biobanking of human tissue for diagnostic
purposes, whether they are formalin fixed, paraffin embedded or pathology
slides, and the standards, legislation or scientific evidence which
provides the basis for your DHB's protocol.

Request 2:
Is your DHB protocol for the archiving, storage, or biobanking of human
tissue for diagnostic purposes, whether they are formalin fixed, paraffin
embedded or pathology slides, based on a universally adopted standard
within NZ or has your DHB determined its own policy.

Request 3:
Please explain the potential hazards of leaving formalin fixed, paraffin
embedded or pathology slides in an unsecure, non-temperature and
non-humidity regulated environment for 2 months over a NZ summer: say a on
an employee's desk which is open to the public and in a repurposed house
adjacent to the hospital from mid December to late February.

Request 4:
Please provide me with the name of the independent agency or agencies
which provides oversight for your medical laboratory.

Thank you for your assistance in this matter. Please note, I have made
this same request to every DHB in NZ in order to ascertain if there is a
universal standard within NZ and also to determine if every DHB is
familiar with the hazards associated with mishandling of pathology
specimens.

Yours faithfully,

Amy S Van Wey Lovatt

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[2][FOI #12523 email]

Is [3][Nelson Marlborough District Health Board request email] the wrong address for Freedom of
Information requests to Nelson Marlborough District Health Board? If so,
please contact us using this form:
[4]https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[5]https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
2. mailto:[FOI #12523 email]
3. mailto:[Nelson Marlborough District Health Board request email]
4. https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...
5. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

Dear Amy

 

Re: Official Information Act request – Best Practice: Archiving, Storage,
Biobanking of Human Tissue for Diagnostic Purpose

 

We refer to your official information request received by Nelson
Marlborough DHB on 23 March 2020.

 

The Official Information 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 of an additional 20 working days to make our decision, to 21 May
2020. 

 

This extension is necessary because, and as specified under Section
15A(1)(b) of the Official Information Act 1982, ‘consultations necessary
to make a decision on the request are such that a proper response cannot
reasonably be made within the original time limit’ by the necessary
people.

 

It has recently been a very busy time for us.

 

On behalf of the responding services, we will endeavour to respond to your
request as soon as reasonably practicable.

 

You have the right to seek an investigation by the Ombudsman of this
decision. Information about how to make a complaint is available at
[1]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or free phone 0800 802 602.

 

Nelson Marlborough District Health Board | Private Bag 18 | Nelson 7040 |
[2]www.nmdhb.govt.nz

 

DISCLAIMER:  This electronic message together with any attachments is
confidential.  If you are not the intended recipient, do not copy,
disclose or use the contents in any way.

Please also advise us by return e-mail that you have received the message
and then please destroy. NMDHB is not responsible for any changes made to
this message and / or

any attachments after sending by NMDHB.  We use virus scanning software
but exclude all liability for viruses or anything similar in this email or
any attachment.

 

[3]nmh icon                       

 

From: Amy S Van Wey Lovatt
[mailto:[FOI #12523 email]]
Sent: Sunday, 22 March 2020 4:51 AM
To: OIA Request NMDHB <[email address]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Best Practice: Archiving,
Storage, Biobanking of Human Tissue for Diagnostic Purposes

 

Dear DHB,

Request 1:
I am writing to request a copy of the your DHB's best practice protocol
for the archiving, storage, or biobanking of human tissue for diagnostic
purposes, whether they are formalin fixed, paraffin embedded or pathology
slides, and the standards, legislation or scientific evidence which
provides the basis for your DHB's protocol.

Request 2:
Is your DHB protocol for the archiving, storage, or biobanking of human
tissue for diagnostic purposes, whether they are formalin fixed, paraffin
embedded or pathology slides, based on a universally adopted standard
within NZ or has your DHB determined its own policy.

Request 3:
Please explain the potential hazards of leaving formalin fixed, paraffin
embedded or pathology slides in an unsecure, non-temperature and
non-humidity regulated environment for 2 months over a NZ summer: say a on
an employee's desk which is open to the public and in a repurposed house
adjacent to the hospital from mid December to late February.

Request 4:
Please provide me with the name of the independent agency or agencies
which provides oversight for your medical laboratory.

Thank you for your assistance in this matter. Please note, I have made
this same request to every DHB in NZ in order to ascertain if there is a
universal standard within NZ and also to determine if every DHB is
familiar with the hazards associated with mishandling of pathology
specimens.

Yours faithfully,

Amy S Van Wey Lovatt

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[4][FOI #12523 email]

Is [5][Nelson Marlborough District Health Board request email] the wrong address for Freedom of
Information requests to Nelson Marlborough District Health Board? If so,
please contact us using this form:
[6]https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[7]https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url...
2. http://www.nmdhb.govt.nz/
4. mailto:[FOI #12523 email]
5. mailto:[Nelson Marlborough District Health Board request email]
6. https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...
7. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

Dear Amy

 

Please find attached the Nelson Marlborough DHB response to your Official
Information request regarding a protocol for archiving, storage, or
biobanking of human tissue for diagnostic purposes.

 

Nelson Marlborough District Health Board | Private Bag 18 | Nelson 7040 |
[1]www.nmdhb.govt.nz

 

DISCLAIMER:  This electronic message together with any attachments is
confidential.  If you are not the intended recipient, do not copy,
disclose or use the contents in any way.

Please also advise us by return e-mail that you have received the message
and then please destroy. NMDHB is not responsible for any changes made to
this message and / or

any attachments after sending by NMDHB.  We use virus scanning software
but exclude all liability for viruses or anything similar in this email or
any attachment.

 

[2]nmh icon                       

 

From: Amy S Van Wey Lovatt
[mailto:[FOI #12523 email]]
Sent: Sunday, 22 March 2020 4:51 AM
To: OIA Request NMDHB <[email address]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Best Practice: Archiving,
Storage, Biobanking of Human Tissue for Diagnostic Purposes

 

Dear DHB,

Request 1:
I am writing to request a copy of the your DHB's best practice protocol
for the archiving, storage, or biobanking of human tissue for diagnostic
purposes, whether they are formalin fixed, paraffin embedded or pathology
slides, and the standards, legislation or scientific evidence which
provides the basis for your DHB's protocol.

Request 2:
Is your DHB protocol for the archiving, storage, or biobanking of human
tissue for diagnostic purposes, whether they are formalin fixed, paraffin
embedded or pathology slides, based on a universally adopted standard
within NZ or has your DHB determined its own policy.

Request 3:
Please explain the potential hazards of leaving formalin fixed, paraffin
embedded or pathology slides in an unsecure, non-temperature and
non-humidity regulated environment for 2 months over a NZ summer: say a on
an employee's desk which is open to the public and in a repurposed house
adjacent to the hospital from mid December to late February.

Request 4:
Please provide me with the name of the independent agency or agencies
which provides oversight for your medical laboratory.

Thank you for your assistance in this matter. Please note, I have made
this same request to every DHB in NZ in order to ascertain if there is a
universal standard within NZ and also to determine if every DHB is
familiar with the hazards associated with mishandling of pathology
specimens.

Yours faithfully,

Amy S Van Wey Lovatt

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[3][FOI #12523 email]

Is [4][Nelson Marlborough District Health Board request email] the wrong address for Freedom of
Information requests to Nelson Marlborough District Health Board? If so,
please contact us using this form:
[5]https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[6]https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. http://www.nmdhb.govt.nz/
3. mailto:[FOI #12523 email]
4. mailto:[Nelson Marlborough District Health Board request email]
5. https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...
6. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers