NZQA registered unit standard
26957 version 1
Page 1 of 5
Title
Describe the Health and Disability Advocacy Service’s complaints
resolution process and apply the complaints process
Level
5
Credits
6
Purpose
People credited with this unit standard are able to describe the
Health and Disability Advocacy Service’s complaints resolution
process, and demonstrate own role in the early resolution of a
consumer’s complaint.
Classification
Health, Disability, and Aged Support > Health and Disability
Principles in Practice
Available grade
Achieved
Explanatory notes
1
Legislation relevant to this unit standard includes:
Accident Compensation Act 2001;
Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989;
Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994;
Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003;
Human Rights Act 1993;
Intellectual Disability (Compulsory Care and Rehabilitation) Act 2003;
Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992;
New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990;
Privacy Act 1993;
Protection of Personal and Property Rights Act 1988.
2
Codes and guidelines relevant to this unit standard include:
Advocacy Code of Practice; available at http://advocacy.hdc.org.nz/resources/codeof-practice;
Advocacy Guidelines for the Nationwide Advocacy Service Pursuant to section 28 (1)
of the Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994. The New Zealand Gazette, 24
March 2005. Available at http://advocacy.hdc.org.nz/resources/advocacy-guidelines;
Health and Disability Commissioner (Code of Health and Disability Services
Consumers’ Rights) Regulations 1996 (the Code of Rights), available at
http://www.hdc.org.nz;
Health Information Privacy Code 1994, available at http://www.privacy.org.nz.
3
New Zealand Standards relevant to this unit standard include:
NZS 8134.0:2008 Health and disability services Standards – Health and disability
services (general) Standard;
NZS 8134.1:2008 Health and disability services Standards – Health and disability
services (core) Standards;
Community Support Services ITO Limited
SSB Code 101814
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
26957 version 1
Page 2 of 5
NZS 8134.2:2008 Health and disability services Standards – Health and disability
services (restraint minimisation and safe practice) Standards;
NZS 8134.3:2008 Health and disability services Standards – Health and disability
services (infection prevention and control) Standards.
4
References
Ministry of Health. (2001). The New Zealand Disability Strategy. Wellington: Author.
Ministry of Health. (2002). He Korowai Oranga – Māori Health Strategy. Wellington:
Author.
Ministry of Health. (2002). The Pacific Health and Disability Action Plan. Wellington:
Author.
Ministry of Health. (2005). National Mental Health Information Strategy 2005–2010.
Wellington: Author.
The above Ministry of Health publications are available at http://www.moh.govt.nz/.
Nationwide Health and Disability Advocacy Service. (2006). Māori cultural
competencies for health and disability advocates. Wellington: Author; available at
http://advocacy.hdc.org.nz/about-us/competencies.
Nationwide Health and Disability Advocacy Service. (2010). Cultural competencies
for health and disability advocates. Auckland: Author; available at
http://advocacy.hdc.org.nz/about-us/competencies.
5
This unit standard cannot be assessed against in a simulated environment. It is
required that people seeking credit for this unit standard demonstrate competence
and are assessed in the workplace: through paid or unpaid employment, or in
placements in a service provider workplace negotiated by an education provider.
6
Candidates’ practice must show appropriate values, processes, and protocols in
relation to working with different cultures in a range of settings and environments, in
accordance with the provisions outlined in the two Nationwide Health and Disability
Advocacy Service publications referenced in explanatory note 4 above.
7
Definitions
Consumer is defined in the Code of Rights and the Health and Disability
Commissioner Act 1994 in the following ways:
'Consumer means a health consumer or a disability services consumer; and, for the
purposes of rights 5, 6, 7(1), 7(7) to 7(10), and 10, includes a person entitled to give
consent on behalf of that consumer.' – Code of Rights, Regulation 4.
'Disability services consumer means any person with a disability that –
'(a) Reduces that person's ability to function independently; and
'(b) Means that the person is likely to need support for an indefinite period.' – Health
and Disability Commissioner Act 1994, s. 2.
'Health consumer includes any person on or in respect of whom any health care
procedure is carried out.' – Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994, s. 2.
A consumer-centred approach focuses on a person’s individuality, relationships,
needs, communication, feelings, and abilities.
Health and disability advocates assist consumers to have their rights recognised and
upheld by health and disability service providers; and encourage them to take action
– including making a complaint – if they have an unresolved concern. Advocates
operate independently of government agencies, the Health and Disability
Commissioner, and the funders of health and disability services.
Providers means disability services providers and health care providers, as defined in
the Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994, ss. 2 and 3.
Community Support Services ITO Limited
SSB Code 101814
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
26957 version 1
Page 3 of 5
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Describe the Health and Disability Advocacy Service’s complaints resolution process.
Evidence requirements
1.1
The responsibilities and boundaries of a health and disability advocate are
described in relation to the complaints process set out under the Health and
Disability Commissioner Act 1994.
Range
ethical boundaries, jurisdictional boundaries, consumer-centred
approach, being on the side of the consumer, developing and
maintaining professional relationships with providers.
1.2
The process for addressing complaints related to Accident Compensation
Corporation assessments is described in accordance with the Health and
Disability Commissioner Act 1994 and the Health and Disability Advocacy
Service’s policies and procedures.
1.3
The process for addressing complex complaints is described in accordance with
the Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994 and the Health and Disability
Advocacy Service’s policies and procedures.
Range
1.4
multiple providers, multiple issues.
The process for recognising a need for referral is described in accordance with
the Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994and the Health and Disability
Advocacy Service’s policies and procedures.
Range
systems failure, public safety, exploitation.
Outcome 2
Demonstrate own role in the early resolution of a consumer’s complaint.
Evidence requirements
2.1
The consumer is assisted to exercise his or her rights in accordance with the
Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994 and the Code of Rights.
Community Support Services ITO Limited
SSB Code 101814
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
2.2
The consumer is supported during the complaints process in accordance with
the Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994 and the Advocacy Guidelines.
support must include – encouraging consumers to use their own
support people, working towards early resolution, empowering
consumers to practise self-advocacy;
may include but is not limited to – monitoring consumers’ progress
in resolving concerns, encouraging consumers’ action, supporting
consumers’ choices, affirming consumers’ decisions and actions
where appropriate, informing consumers about where they can
find additional support.
Range
2.3
The provider’s complaints systems are analysed in terms of achieving optimum
outcomes for consumers.
Range
2.4
26957 version 1
Page 4 of 5
must include provision of feedback to providers;
may include but is not limited to – education for providers about
the Code of Rights, including providers’ complaints processes.
Interaction between the consumer and the provider is facilitated in accordance
with the Code of Rights, and in line with a consumer-centred approach.
Range
addressing power imbalance, building relationships, keeping the
process safe, focusing the discussion on resolution, resolution
agreement form.
Planned review date
31 December 2016
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process
Version Date
Last Date for Assessment
Registration
1
19 November 2010
N/A
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference
0024
This AMAP can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA, or
an inter-institutional body with delegated authority for quality assurance, before they can
report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading
to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by
NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and
which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that
applies to those standards.
Community Support Services ITO Limited
SSB Code 101814
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
26957 version 1
Page 5 of 5
Consent requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this
standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The
AMAP also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations
wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for
tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact the Community Support Services ITO Limited
enquiries@careerforce.org.nz if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit
standard.
Community Support Services ITO Limited
SSB Code 101814
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016