Hawke’s Bay Surgeon Faced Negative Impact After HDC Report Mistakenly Linked Him too Case
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A Hawke’s Bay orthopaedic spine surgeon, Dr. James Blackett, experienced a notable negative impact on his practice after being mistakenly associated with a Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC) report. The report detailed a case where a woman in her 60s suffered an injury during surgery at Hastings Hospital in 2020.
The HDC anonymises individuals in it’s cases using letters of the alphabet. Due to Dr. Blackett sharing the same initial as the clinician involved – referred to as “Dr B” in the report – patients and community members incorrectly concluded he was the subject of the examination.
“Unfortunately, as I have a surname beginning with B and I am an orthopaedic spine surgeon, and the decision refers to Dr B, many patients and members of the community have concluded that I am Dr B,” Blackett told NZME. He reported colleagues were also being questioned by patients about his involvement.
Dr. Blackett complained to the HDC about its naming policy, suggesting an alternative system to avoid such confusion.The HDC has since published an apology on its website, clarifying that the reference to “Dr B” was “in no way a reference to Dr Blackett who also works in this hospital” and offering apologies for any concern caused.
The doctor who was the subject of the HDC report is no longer employed at the hospital. The case also involved a prior error on the same day, where the patient’s sister was mistakenly prepared for surgery. Though, the error was discovered before the incorrect procedure could be carried out.
Health and Disability Commissioner Reviewing Naming Policy After Doctor’s Concerns
The Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC) is reviewing its policy for naming individuals in decisions following concerns raised by a doctor who believed he was incorrectly identified in a published case. The HDC uses pseudonyms to protect the privacy of individuals involved in complaints,but the doctor felt the initials used could lead to his identification.
HDC’s Current Naming Practices
The HDC currently assigns initials in alphabetical order to individuals in its decisions, published on its website and provided to media. A spokesperson for the HDC confirmed that a disclaimer is included on every page stating: “Names have been removed to protect privacy.Identifying letters are assigned in alphabetical order and bear no relationship to the person’s actual name.” https://www.hdc.org.nz/
The HDC maintains that no individual is ever assigned an initial that matches their real surname. The spokesperson stated the HDC acknowledged and apologized to the doctor for any concern caused by the inference of his involvement in the case. They also confirmed that no other similar issues have been reported.
Policy Review Planned
The HDC’s current naming policy is scheduled for review next year. This review will likely consider whether the current system adequately protects the privacy of individuals while maintaining clarity in the complaints process.
Concerns and Transparency
The incident highlights the challenges of balancing privacy with the public interest in transparency when investigating and reporting on health and disability issues. The HDC’s decisions are crucial for accountability within the healthcare system, and public access to these findings is important. However,protecting the identities of those involved – both complainants and providers – is paramount.
About Ric Stevens
This report was written by Ric Stevens, a journalist with NZME’s Open Justice team. Stevens has a long career in New Zealand journalism, previously working for the New Zealand Press Association and various daily newspapers.
Key Takeaways:
* The HDC uses pseudonyms (initials) to protect the privacy of individuals in its decisions.
* A doctor raised concerns he was identifiable despite the use of pseudonyms.
* The HDC apologized to the doctor and is reviewing its naming policy.
* The review is scheduled for next year.