Support for patients
Our main role is to protect the health and safety of the public. All doctors and physician associates in New Zealand must be registered with us before they are allowed to practise.
Registration means a health practitioner has met the standards required to provide a high standard of care to their patients. We set those standards and monitor them.
As a patient, your health and safety should always be your health practitioner's primary concern. The relationship you have with your doctor or physician associate should be based on mutual trust, clear communication, honesty and respect. You should feel comfortable and well informed about your care, and confident that the practitioner providing that care is competent and fit to practise. If you feel that has been compromised, we will take any notifications seriously.
-
Whenever you use a health or disability service in New Zealand, you are protected by the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights (Code of Rights). The Code of Rights applies to both public and private facilities, and to both paid and unpaid services. It gives you as a patient, the right to be treated with respect, receive appropriate care, have proper communication, and be fully informed so you can make an informed choice.
-
Patients are entitled to information about their health and the care they are receiving. This statement outlines what we expect of doctors when helping patients to make an informed decision about their care and treatment.
-
We sometimes require that a doctor has a chaperone present to observe their consultations with patients. We do this to mitigate risk to the patient where there are concerns that the doctor poses a risk of harm or serious risk of harm to the public. This is different from when a chaperone is present as a matter of good medical practice.
-
Whether you're Māori or non-Māori, you are welcome to visit a Māori health provider. What makes their care different from a non-Māori health provider is the kaupapa (principle) and delivery framework, which is distinctively Māori.
-
Search the registers of doctors and physician associates registered in New Zealand.