Taranaki DHB accepts HDC findings

18 August 2014

Taranaki District Health Board (DHB) announced today it has accepted the findings of the Health and Disability Commissioner, which found the DHB in breach of the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumer Rights of the Lawn family in 2012.

Taranaki DHB Chief Medical Advisor, Dr Greg Simmons said, “our thoughts are with the Lawn family at this difficult time. We sincerely apologise for the part our actions played two years ago and for the impact this has had on the Lawn family since then.”

“There are about 1400 babies born each year in Taranaki. If even one of those has an unexpected poor outcome then that is one too many. We aim to provide high quality maternity care but regrettably in the Lawn family’s case we have let them down and we are very sorry for the pain this has caused them,” he said.

Since 2012 the TDHB has responded and implemented all the recommendations from the HDC report. The TDHB has also met with the family and has listened carefully to their concerns.

Dr Simmons said, “we are now working on subsequent feedback and recommendations that have come specifically from the meeting with the Lawn family.”

“I want to reassure the Taranaki community that the TDHB has a dedicated team of staff providing a high quality maternity service. We have learnt from the mistakes made and have made changes to our maternity service that will significantly reduce the possibility of this happening again,” said Dr Simmons.

 “Once again we sincerely apologise for the part DHB has played and the heartache it has caused the family.”

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Cressida Gates-Thompson
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Last updated: Wednesday, August 20, 2014