On this website we provide summary information on your rights and responsibilities when using the services of Nelson Marlborough District Health Board. The Board has policies and procedures aimed at ensuring that patients are treated in accordance with these rights and responsibilities and with safety and skill.

if you are not satisfied with any aspect of your treatment or if you wish to compliment our services, there is information here about what you can do.

In addition to NMDHB processes, health professional groups have codes of ethics and standards that cover the practising of members of that profession. To find out about these, you would need to contact the organisation concerned.

Code of Rights and Responsibilities

The Board has a Code of Rights and Responsibilities for patient, clients and residents. You have a right to:

• Respect
• Fair treatment
• Dignity and independence
• Proper standards
• Communication
• Information
• Make your own decisions
• Support
• Make a complaint (provide online feedback)

Our Code of Rights and Responsibilities brochure is available here.

Full details of your rights are available from the Board and any of its services or from the Health and Disability Commissioner www.hdc.org.nz.

Health Information

NMDHB is governed by the Privacy Act 1993, whose purpose is to promote and protect the privacy of information collected from and about an individual. There is an associated Health Information Privacy Code, issued in 1994, which sets out in detail the requirements health providers must follow to meet the principles of the Privacy Act.

Essentially the Board must collect information directly from the patient where possible, collect only what is needed for the purposes of providing care and keep the information secure.

Patients are entitled to request the health information held about them and may ask that a statement of correction be attached to their file. To request access to this information, write to the

Privacy Officer, NMDHB,
Private Bag 18,
Nelson.

For further information on privacy issues, see the website for the Privacy Commissioner on the Links page.

Interpreters

A policy on Interpreters is in production.