Printed from https://fyi.org.nz/request/policy_on_requests_from_third_pa_12?unfold=1 on April 20, 2024 09:04

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 South Canterbury 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: Dawne Tuite
South Canterbury District Health Board

Morning Amy,

 

With regards to your OIA request re “Policy on request from third party
providers of pathology specimens for second opinion” and “Best Practice:
Archiving, Storage, Biobanking of Human Tissue for Diagnostic Purposes.

 

Unfortunately many key staff involved with the sourcing and preparation of
material for your OIA requests are also directly involved with work
associated with COVID-19.

 

This has impacted on our ability to respond to OIA requests within normal
timeframes.

 

Kind Regards

 

Dawne Tuite

SLT Administrator – DDI (03) 687 2383

South Canterbury District Health Board

Private Bag 911, Timaru

 

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Statement of confidentiality:

This e-mail message and any accompanying attachments may contain information that is IN-CONFIDENCE and subject to legal and medical privilege.
If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use, disseminate, distribute or copy this message or attachment.
If you received this email in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete this message.
SOUTH CANTERBURY DISTRICT HEALTH BOARD reserves the right to monitor all email communications through its network. Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender, except where, the message states otherwise and the sender is authorised to state them to be the views of any such entity.
#####################################################################################

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From: Dawne Tuite
South Canterbury District Health Board

Attachment Response letter.pdf
134K Download View as HTML

 

Afternoon Amy

 

Please find attached our response to your OIA Request – Policy on requests
from third party providers of pathology specimens for second opinion

 

Kind Regards

 

Dawne Tuite

SLT Administrator – DDI (03) 687 2383

South Canterbury District Health Board

Private Bag 911, Timaru

 

#####################################################################################
Statement of confidentiality:

This e-mail message and any accompanying attachments may contain information that is IN-CONFIDENCE and subject to legal and medical privilege.
If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use, disseminate, distribute or copy this message or attachment.
If you received this email in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete this message.
SOUTH CANTERBURY DISTRICT HEALTH BOARD reserves the right to monitor all email communications through its network. Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender, except where, the message states otherwise and the sender is authorised to state them to be the views of any such entity.
#####################################################################################

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From: Amy S Van Wey Lovatt (Account suspended)

Dear Dawne Tuite,

I was very confused by your response. Even if your DHB contracts out pathology services, third party health practitioners would make requests directly to your DHB for pathology specimens as the DHB ultimately responsible for the tissue. Thus, to clarify:

Request 1: Does this mean your DHB has adopted the RCPA policy, which is the professional standard, for such requests given there is no written policy?

Request 2: If not, I respectfully request a description of your DHB's standard practice regarding such requests and in the event that your DHB's standard practice is NOT consistent with the RCPA policy, then an explanation for the deviation from the professional standards.

Request 3: If your standard practice is to forward requests to the contracting agency, then I respectfully request that your DHB forward my OIA request to the appropriate agency, pursuant to section 14 of the OIA. To avoid any misunderstanding, when I refer to policy, I would also include any standard practice, written or unwritten.

Yours sincerely,

Amy S Van Wey Lovatt

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From: Dawne Tuite
South Canterbury District Health Board

Attachment Transfer Letter to Requster.docx
63K Download View as HTML

 

Hi Amy

 

Please find attached request showing that we are transferring your OIA
Request re third party providers of pathology specimens to Canterbury SCL.

 

Kind Regards

 

Dawne Tuite

SLT Administrator – DDI (03) 687 2383

South Canterbury District Health Board

Private Bag 911, Timaru

 

#####################################################################################
Statement of confidentiality:

This e-mail message and any accompanying attachments may contain information that is IN-CONFIDENCE and subject to legal and medical privilege.
If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use, disseminate, distribute or copy this message or attachment.
If you received this email in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete this message.
SOUTH CANTERBURY DISTRICT HEALTH BOARD reserves the right to monitor all email communications through its network. Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender, except where, the message states otherwise and the sender is authorised to state them to be the views of any such entity.
#####################################################################################

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From: Amy S Van Wey Lovatt (Account suspended)

Dear Dawne Tuite,

Thank you very much for your response and i appreciate you transferring the request; however, I have been reviewing the interpretation section of the OIA, which states:
(5) Any information held by an independent contractor engaged by any department or Minister of the Crown or organisation in his capacity as such contractor shall, for the purposes of this Act, be deemed to be held by the department or Minister of the Crown or organisation.

Thus, this means that even if SCDHB contracts out their laboratory services, SCDHB is still responsible for providing the information. I will be happy to provide another 5 working days to SCDHB to provide a response to my OIA request to avoid any complaints to the Ombudsman.

Yours sincerely,

Amy S Van Wey Lovatt

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From: Andrea Guillemot

Attachment Repsonse Letter to Requster 15062020.pdf
738K Download View as HTML

Hello Amy

 

Please find attached our response to your OIA request to South Canterbury
District Health Board which was transferred to us.

 

Kind regards

Andrea

 

Andrea Guillemot

General Manager

Canterbury SCL and Medlab South Timaru

 

DDI: 03 359  0952 | [mobile number] Logistics Drive | Harewood | Christchurch 8051

Website: [1]www.canterburyscl.co.nz

 

References

Visible links
1. http://www.canterburyscl.co.nz/

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From: Dawne Tuite
South Canterbury District Health Board

Attachment Repsonse Letter to Requster 15062020.pdf
738K Download View as HTML

Morning Amy

Sorry I have not responded earlier, but have been away.

With regards to your below email, just wanted to clarify exactly what you were wanting, as I have had notification from Canterbury SCL that they have provided the attached response to your OIA on behalf of the South Canterbury DHB as the South Canterbury DHB does not have a separate policy and have no in-house expertise on Laboratory standards because we contract Canterbury SCL to provide this. Do you require a covering letter from the South Canterbury DHB to be provided alongside the attached response from Canterbury SCL or will this email suffice?

Kind Regards

Dawne Tuite
SLT Administrator – DDI (03) 687 2383
South Canterbury District Health Board
Private Bag 911, Timaru

-----Original Message-----
From: Amy S Van Wey Lovatt <[FOI #12512 email]>
Sent: Wednesday, 17 June 2020 1:25 p.m.
To: Dawne Tuite <[email address]>
Subject: Re: OIA Request

Dear Dawne Tuite,

Thank you very much for your response and i appreciate you transferring the request; however, I have been reviewing the interpretation section of the OIA, which states:
(5) Any information held by an independent contractor engaged by any department or Minister of the Crown or organisation in his capacity as such contractor shall, for the purposes of this Act, be deemed to be held by the department or Minister of the Crown or organisation.

Thus, this means that even if SCDHB contracts out their laboratory services, SCDHB is still responsible for providing the information. I will be happy to provide another 5 working days to SCDHB to provide a response to my OIA request to avoid any complaints to the Ombudsman.

Yours sincerely,

Amy S Van Wey Lovatt

-----Original Message-----

 

Hi Amy

 

Please find attached request showing that we are transferring your OIA Request re third party providers of pathology specimens to Canterbury SCL.

 

Kind Regards

 

Dawne Tuite

SLT Administrator – DDI (03) 687 2383

South Canterbury District Health Board

Private Bag 911, Timaru

 

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#####################################################################################
Statement of confidentiality:

This e-mail message and any accompanying attachments may contain information that is IN-CONFIDENCE and subject to legal and medical privilege.
If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use, disseminate, distribute or copy this message or attachment.
If you received this email in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete this message.
SOUTH CANTERBURY DISTRICT HEALTH BOARD reserves the right to monitor all email communications through its network. Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender, except where, the message states otherwise and the sender is authorised to state them to be the views of any such entity.
#####################################################################################

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From: Amy S Van Wey Lovatt (Account suspended)

Dear Dawne Tuite,

The response I received on 18 June 2020 was exactly what I was requesting.

Thank you very much.

Yours sincerely,

Amy S Van Wey Lovatt

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Things to do with this request

Anyone:
South Canterbury District Health Board only: