Do you realise that even if you have a pathologists report (which goes to the CNC as wellas the specialist) confirming either a suspicion of cancer, or actual presence of cancer noone is obliged to inform you. Rubbish you say ? No, it's all too true. The CNC at Wanganui DB can only contact a cancer patient to 'perform her function' if, and only if, she is given express pemission by the specialist. And what if that specialist does not inform his patient ? Then the patient is left in the dark, without anything illegal or immoral to complain about. I have a letter from the HDC confirming that the policy of the Wanganui DHB, from Ms L Allsopp; quote: "The role of the CNC at WDHB in the management of any abnormal histology report, is to ensure that a eview is in place for the patient is in place with their treating specialist, where this discussion would take place. Communicating an abnormal histology report to a patient forms part of an overal assessment, diagnosis and treatment discussion by the specialist. CNC's do not do not take over this type of patient communication."
And. as in this case, where the CNC knows that the patient has cancer and the specialist decides not to inform the patient then the patient is left in the dark, has cancer that is not being treated or managed. Is that the best we can expect ? Well the WDHB & the HDC think it's okay. What do you think ?
Read the case if Keith Hindson VS WDHB & Peter Napier Liston, incidentally not a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons , London (confirmed by email) and they have asked him to return his didloma too. Please note that the DCNZ are not worried about the fact that Liston has no right to use those postnomonals as they have continued to use those postnominals on their website.
