Justice must be served but not on this case because the simple truth is that no consequences = no justice.
This is the case of Keith Hindson (the patient), and the withholding of a cancer diagnosis and mismanagement of a cancerous tongue lesion by an oral maxillofacial surgeon (OMS), Peter Napier Liston, at Wanganui hospital. Named members of Wanganui hospital staff were also aware that Mr Hindson was a cancer patient but they did not inform Mr Hindson. Wanganui hospital was "repremanded" by the HDC on 2 counts of the patients rights charter but they were not prosecuted. How Wanganui hospital escaped prosecution in theis matter is a mystery, not even the HDC can explain why, we have asked but we have not received clarification from the commissioner, Mr Anthony Hill, HDC.
For those who want to check out the official prosecution the case, in full, it can be read on these links:
HPTD:
https://www.hpdt.org.nz/ChargeDetails.aspx?file=Den17/387D
HDC:
https://www.hdc.org.nz/decisions/search-decisions/2018/14hdc00828/
HDC code for above case : 14DC00828
Full decision PDF 581kb
Case note DDF 261 kb
Wanganui hospital:
Initially, Trish Newton of Wanganui hospital stated (in an email dated 20/2/2018) that quote "Once HDC releases their report we will publish this on our website", we therefore expected that they would publish the HDC findings on their website as they stated, quote "we will" not "we might".
We were invited to meet (in a face to face meeting) with the newly appointed CEO, Russell Simpson (on 2/3/2018) regarding the case and Wanganui hospital's stance on the situation. Nothing was acheived at the meeting as the CEO had already made up his mind that to say sorry would make it all better and that we would be satisfied with that, stop complaining and just go away.
Subsequently, on 28/3/2018, we received an email from Louise Allsop of Wanganui Hospital, quote: "We have made the decision not to publish HDC decisions on our website as the documents are not ours to publish. The documents are not owned by us, they are owned by HDC who make the decision when and how to publish on their website. The same decision applies to any other agencies’ documents, including the Health Practitioner’s Disciplinary Tribunal (HPDT)".
This is pure smoke and mirrors, they have set a president by publishing HDC cases in the past. Now the hospital either have a block on my email requests for information or they just plain ignore them. I have had no response to any email since then. What about the rights of patients to a response ?, you may well say that you have a right to complain, but do you have the right to that complaint being investigated ? No, beleive it or not, you don't.
