Raising a concern or making a notification about a doctor
Making a notification about a doctor
If you have concerns about the care you received, or about a doctor’s behaviour or professionalism, you can notify either the Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC) or the Medical Council of New Zealand (Council). We work closely together, but our roles are different.
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When to contact the Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC)
The HDC looks at whether your rights as a health consumer have been upheld. You can contact the HDC if your concern is about things like:
- how you were treated by any health professional, hospital or health practice
- whether you received enough information
- whether you were listened to, respected, or given choices
- the quality of the care you received.
The HDC investigates whether your rights under the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights have been breached.
When the Council becomes involved
The Council’s role is to make sure doctors are safe and competent to practise. We look at concerns that may affect a doctor’s ability to practise safely, including their:
- competence
- conduct or behaviour that raises professional concerns
- health matters affecting a doctor’s ability to work safely
- any pattern of concerns that may put patients at risk.
Our focus is on public saety and whether the doctor needs support, monitoring, or restrictions on their practice to ensure public safety
When Council receives a concern about a doctor’s practice, the Council’s primary focus is on patient safety. We assess each notification to understand any potential risk to patient safety and prioritise cases where there is potential risk to safe patient care. We are able to take immediate steps to ensure patients are protected. This may include looking at what support, monitoring, or restrictions are needed to ensure public safety.
How the Council and the Health and Disability Commissioner processes work together
If you notify us first, about the care you or someone else has received, then we are required by law to refer your concerns to the HDC. The HDC will look at your concerns in the first instance.
If the HDC decides to investigate, they will keep us informed. We then consider whether we also need to act to ensure the doctor is practising safely. In many cases, both organisations may be involved but for different reasons:
- The HDC looks at what happened to you as a patient
- The Medical Council looks at the doctor’s ongoing fitness to practise
You do not need to decide this yourself. You may contact either organisation, and we will work together to make sure your concerns are considered by the right people.
Please note the HDC and the Medical Council cannot:
- provide you with medical advice
- award compensation
- review Accident Compensation Corporation decisions
- assist with access to health services or funding
- require the doctor to amend a death or medical certificate.
➤ Email standards@mcnz.org.nz if you would like to make a notification directly to the Council.
➤ See more information here
if you would like to make a notification to the HDC.
If you are unsure
If you are not sure who to contact, if is fine to notify either organisation. Your concern will be directed to the right place.
The Council's Annual Report provides information and 5 year trends about concerns raised about the conduct and competence of doctors.
Are you thinking about contacting the doctor or practice/hospital?
If you want to make a notification about the treatment you have received from a doctor your first option might be discussing the matter directly with your doctor or the relevant practice or hospital.
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