A Patients’ Rights Approach

Abstract

"Being a small country but having a mature democracy, New Zealand has been playing a leading role in the global development of human rights, in particular women’s and patients’ rights. If the case occurred in NZ, the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights 1996 (Code of Patients’ Rights) and the Health Information Privacy Code 1994 (Privacy Code) would constitute the key legislation on how related medical information should be handled. As manifested in the Code of Ethics of the NZ Medical Association, the approach in these Codes to patients’ rights and their health information has also become the professional norm for healthcare providers"