The Health and Disability Commissioner is tasked with independently promoting and protecting the rights of people using health and disability services in New Zealand.
Purpose
The purpose of the Health and Disability Commissioner is to promote and protect the rights of consumers as set out in the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights (the Code).
HDC is an independent watchdog, providing people using health and disability services with a voice, resolving complaints, and holding providers to account for improving their practices at an individual and system-wide level.
The Health and Disability Commissioner is independent of providers, of consumers, and of government policy, allowing HDC to be an effective watchdog for the promotion and protection of consumers' rights.
Vision
People at the centre of services.
Strategic objectives
HDC has four strategic objectives to influence change:
- To protect the rights of health consumers and disability services consumers under the Health and Disability Commissioner Act and Code.
- To improve quality within the health and disability sectors.
- To hold providers to account appropriately.
- To promote, by education and publicity, respect for and observance of the rights of health and disability services consumers.
These four objectives are interdependent, working together to promote and protect consumer rights more effectively.