“Quality and Humanity in Health”

“Quality and Humanity in Health”

HDC report-Ophthalmologist

Dr Nigel Murray, CEO of Southland DHB has welcomed an opinion from the HDC publicised today which found a local private Ophthalmologist (no longer employed by SDHB) to have breached the Code of Rights in relation to the charging of fees to a patient on a public operative list. The opinion also recommends advice be sought from the National Ethics Advisory Committee on the need for guidelines into this area where the lines in relation to private and public patients can become blurred.

Dr Murray said that Southland DHB supported the Commissioner’s findings and recommendations. It is difficult in the absence of a complaint for Southland DHB to know if private patients, who have requested to be placed on the public operative list, are still being charged by the Doctor as it is a transaction that usually takes place at the doctors private rooms without the knowledge of the Board.

Dr Murray indicated that the Board has undertaken audits in this regard, but no problems of this nature have previously been revealed. Dr Murray confirmed that the public and private mix was based largely on co-operation and trust between the DHB and consultants, who also have private practices and in the vast majority of cases there are no problems. It is always regretful when the actions of a few bring such practices into question. Dr Murray said he was heartened that the HDC recognised the difficulties Southland DHB faced in relation to this matter and that as a result it had not breached the Code.

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