HealthInfo Waitaha Canterbury
Your health rights
Āu motika hauora
This page has links to information in other languages.
Everyone using a health or disability service in New Zealand has the legal protection of a Code of Rights. An independent commissioner promotes and protects these rights.
If you are concerned about the service you have received from any health provider, you should first go back to that provider – or their employer – if you feel able to do so. Most healthcare providers want to know when someone is unhappy and what they are unhappy about so they can sort out any problems and stop them from happening again.
Every healthcare organisation should have a formal complaints procedure. Ask how you can make a complaint and what the process will be.
If you have used the health provider's complaints procedure and are still not satisfied, the links below give advice about what to do next.
HealthInfo recommends the following pages
General
- Health and Disability Commissioner
The pamphlet is available in over 40 languages, including te reo Māori, Samoan, Tongan, Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, and Japanese.
Making a complaint
- Health and Disability Commissioner – Making a complaint
How to make a complaint about a health or disability provider.
- Nationwide Health & Disability Advocacy Service – Self advocacy
This page has information about making your own complaint. It has links to finding an advocate and health and disability advocacy in general.
- Te Kāhui Tika Tangata – Human Rights Commission – Making a complaint
This page has information about what you can complain about and how to make a complaint. It also takes you to the complaint form.
Mental health
- Changing Minds – Guide to the Mental Health Act
For the whānau (families) of someone receiving compulsory treatment.
- Ministry of Health – Guidelines to the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act
Download the guidelines in Word or PDF format.
Privacy
- Privacy Commissioner – Your privacy
Guides, factsheets, case notes and other resources on health privacy.
Youth
- Youth Law – Health & wellbeing
Information about what free medical services children and young people in New Zealand can access.
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed September 2024.
See also:
Review key: HIYHI-77571
