HDC Code of Rights Compliance Policy
Code: A1.1 -1
Date: 17/06/2014
Review: 24/01/2019
Purpose:
To ensure that the practice complies with the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights 1996 (The Code) in all respects
Responsible Staff:
Implementation: Practice Administrator.
Audit: Practice Administrator.
Action: All Staff.
Training Resources:
The Code of Health and Disability Consumers' Rights 1996
Linked Policies:
Complaint Policy;
Consent Policy;
Cultural Diversity Interaction Policy;
Maori Health Plan;
Interpreter Policy;
Health Information Privacy Policy;
Quality Improvement Policy.
Policy:
The Code of Health and Disability Consumer's rights 1996 sets out 10 basic rights when receiving a health and disability service.
The rights themselves form the basis of the linked policies above.
Compliance with the linked policies will ensure that we comply with all the essential statutory components of the Code insofar as they are compatible with specific policy objectives.
This policy deals with the areas specific to the Code that are not covered by the scope of the linked policies.
All staff shall, upon beginning employment be required to familiarise themselves with The Code. Full details are contained withing the training document which forms part of this policy.
Further training may be provided either internally or by external providers as the need is determined by the responsible management staff.
In the event that the Code is updated, the Clinical Director shall inform all staff and issue them with a copy of the revised version of The Code as soon as is reasonably practicable and in any case within 21 days of the variation being notified.
Patient Information:
The Code shall be displayed prominently in the waiting room in poster form and shall be made available to all patients in leaflet form.
The Code shall be available, in leaflet form, in the waiting room leaflet dispensing rack.
The Practice Administrator shall be responsible for checking that copies of The Code are available on a regular basis and that the Code poster is clearly visible and unobstructed.
The patients, upon request, shall be provided with the appropriate contact details for the Christchurch advocates (03) 377 7501 (free-phone 0800 555 050, free-fax 0800 2787 7678 email address advocacy@hdc.ord.nz)
The HDC website address is www.hdc.org.nz
Advocacy:
Health and disability advocates provide a conduit for communication bewteen medical practitioners and clients.
They are usually accessed by the client when there is a degree of mistrust or concern about the client relationship but this is not always the case.
We welcome the assistance of HDC advocates as their presence often:
- improves client empowerment
- eases stresses in the consultation
- promotes good healthcare delivery
- improves communication with clients
- reduced the likelihood of complaints.
Where clients seem to be distressed or are having trouble communicating with us, it is entirely apptoptiate to recommend that they consider approaching an HDC advocate.
When we are notified that an HDC advocate will be present in a consultation, reception staff should ensure a longer consulation is booked.
Change Log
17/06/2014
Removed deprecated practice manager role.
Minor re-wording.
Addition of Advocacy section.
24/01/2019
Updated links to HDC site
Checked that the code had not undergone changes
Updated Audit matrix
Changed local site URL