Complaints, compliments and suggestions

Taranaki District Health Board welcomes compliments, suggestions and complaints from consumers. Receiving such feedback gives us an opportunity to improve our services as well as pass on compliments.

We welcome your comments about:

Any service provided by the District Health Board or any of its contracted providers.

Who can comment?

Any member of the public.
While complaints can certainly be made by a third party (ie a relative, parent or friend) on another’s behalf, the patient must consent to or endorse the complaint, as its investigation involves access to a patient record.
The District Health Board invites and appreciates comment and evaluation from General Practitioners and Rest Homes.

What do we do with your comments?

We take all complaints, compliments and suggestions seriously, because they offer us the opportunity to improve the services we provide. Your suggestions may help prevent the same issue recurring in the future.

Your complaint will be acknowledged within five working days.
Your comment, complaint or compliment will be referred to the manager of the hospital area concerned.
All complaints are treated confidentially and will be discussed only with the people directly involved.
We aim to respond to all complaints within 20 working days. If we are unable to respond in that timeframe we will write to you and let you know the reason and an expected completion timeframe. If your complaint is complex or requires additional investigation we will keep you updated on a monthly basis until it is resolved.

Please be assured that making a complaint will not adversely affect the care that you receive, now or in the future.

If you have a concern or complaint about the care you are receiving we encourage you to speak directly to the staff looking after you. Often such issues can be resolved straight away. However, if you feel you cannot do so, please choose one of the methods described below and we will send it through to the department concerned.

You can make a complaint, compliment or suggestion in any of the following ways:

Online

Click here to go to our online feedback form.

In writing

Write to us at
Feedback Team
Clinical Governance Support Unit
Taranaki District Health Board
PO Box 2016
New Plymouth

'How Are We Doing’ forms are available in the wards.

Verbally

Verbal complaints can be recorded by any staff member and passed on to the Feedback Team.

Telephone

Call 753 6139, and ask to speak to the Feedback Team.

If you feel that our response to your complaint still does not address your concerns, the local branch of the Nationwide Advocacy Service, a free independent service offering advice and support regarding the complaints process, may be contacted on 06 759 2111 (fax 06 759 2112) or at PO Box 8375 New Plymouth 4342.

Last updated: Wednesday, April 7, 2021