Policy on requests from third party providers of pathology specimens for second opinion

Amy S Van Wey Lovatt (Account suspended) made this Official Information request to Auckland District Health Board

The request was successful.

From: Amy S Van Wey Lovatt (Account suspended)

Dear DHB,

I am a New Zealand citizen, which is demonstrated by the fact that the MoH has already confirmed my citizenship prior to responding to my OIA requests (or a google search of my name).

The Royal College of Pathologists Australasia has a policy titled "Provision of second opinions with particular reference to morphological examination", which addresses the best practice with regards to referral for second and subsequent opinion of pathology specimens.

Request 1:
I respectfully request your DHB's policy on second opinions requested by a third party who is a medical practitioner currently involved in the medical care of the patient from whom the pathological material was originally obtained.

Request 2:
In the event that your DHB deviates from the aforementioned RCPA policy, I request an explanation for why your DHB deviates from best practice.

Please note, my request does not reflect the standard of care provided at your DHB, but is to ascertain whether there is consistent adherence to RCPA best practice amongst all NZ DHBs.

Yours faithfully,

Amy S Van Wey Lovatt

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From: Elaine Keenan (ADHB)
Auckland District Health Board

Dear Amy

Re Official Information Request - Policy on requests third party providers of pathology specimens

I am writing to acknowledge your official information request dated 22 March 2020.

We will endeavour to respond to your request as soon as possible and, in any event, no later than 21 April 2020. We will contact you if an extension is required.

It should be noted that many key staff involved with the sourcing and preparation of material for your OIA request are also directly involved with work associated with COVID-19.

This may impact on our ability to respond to certain OIA requests within normal timeframes.

Please note that, like other DHBs across New Zealand, Auckland DHB has adopted a model of proactive disclosure which sees OIA responses publically available on our website approximately one month after they have been released. If you believe that there are any special reasons why proactive disclosure should not apply to our response to you, we will be happy to consider this.

Regards

Elaine Keenan
Team Administrator
Corporate Business Services
S (09) 630-9943 ext 22346 | [email address]
Auckland District Health Board | Level 1 | Building 37 | Auckland City Hospital | Park Road | Auckland

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From: Elaine Keenan (ADHB)
Auckland District Health Board


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Attachment SC454E0093820040112480.pdf
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Dear Amy

 

Attached please find ADHBs response to your OIA request dated 22 March
2020.

 

Regards

 

Elaine Keenan

Team Administrator

Corporate Business Services

( (09) 630-9943  ext 22346 | * [email address]

Auckland District Health Board | Level 1 |  Building 37 | Auckland City
Hospital | Park Road | Auckland

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References

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From: Amy S Van Wey Lovatt (Account suspended)

Dear Elaine Keenan (ADHB),

I would like to thank you for your response to my OIA request, but I note that the response I received is incomplete.

You mention that ADHB does not have a policy regarding requests by third party providers for second opinions of pathology specimens.

Request 1:
To be clear, does this mean that ADHB does not follow the RCPA policy regarding such requests?

Even if there is not a written policy, ADHB must have a standard practice.

Request 2:
I respectfully request a description of ADHB's standard practice regarding requests by third party providers for second opinions of pathology specimens.

Request 3:
In the event that ADHB's standard practice is inconsistent with the RCPA policy, I respectfully request an explanation for why ADHB deviates from the professional standard set out by the RCPA policy.

Yours sincerely,

Amy S Van Wey Lovatt

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From: Elaine Keenan (ADHB)
Auckland District Health Board

I am currently out of the office and will return on Tuesday 2 June 2020.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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From: Amy S Van Wey Lovatt (Account suspended)

Dear Elaine Keenan (ADHB),

This is a gentle reminder that I am still waiting for the information I requested in March 2020, as the response I received from ADHB in April was incomplete. I think it would be quite helpful if the respondent was the same employee who handled the response to my request: Best Practice: Archiving, Storage, Biobanking of Human Tissue for Diagnostic Purposes, as that response was the best I have received from ADHB.

Yours sincerely,

Amy S Van Wey Lovatt

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From: Elaine Keenan (ADHB)
Auckland District Health Board

I am currently out of the office and will return on Tuesday 30 June 2020.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to this

From: Elaine Keenan (ADHB)
Auckland District Health Board


Attachment Official Information Act Request Policy on requests third party providers of pathology specimens additional request ADHB Ref 20200322 550.html
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Attachment image001.png
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Attachment SC454E0100320062213530.pdf
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Hi Amy

Attached please find the second response emailed to you on 22 June 2020.

Regards

Elaine Keenan
Team Administrator/OIA Coordinator
Corporate Business Services
a (09) 630-9943 ext 22346 | [email address]
Auckland District Health Board | Level 1 | Building 37 | Auckland City Hospital | Park Road | Auckland

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From: Amy S Van Wey Lovatt (Account suspended)

Dear Elaine Keenan (ADHB),

Thank you very much for the response dated 22 June 2020 and submitted to FYI.org.nz on 30 June 2020. I am bit concerned that you mentioned that the response had been emailed to me. I have not provided you with my email address, and there was no posting on FYI.org.nz on 22 June 2020. Perhaps the response was emailed to someone else inadvertently.

Thank you again.

Yours sincerely,

Amy S Van Wey Lovatt

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Things to do with this request

Anyone:
Auckland District Health Board only: