Fit for Purpose? An Examination of the Jurisdiction of the Health and Disability Commissioner in New Zealand

This paper examines the role of the Health and Disability Commissioner. It does so by first describing the Commissioner's origins and place in the overall regulatory landscape for doctors in New Zealand. Different frameworks are then described within which the Commissioner's purpose, practice and outcomes can be assessed. Applying these frameworks, an assessment is made of the Commissioner's jurisdiction. Finally, informed by the foregoing assessment, this paper examines the regulatory landscape from a broader perspective, making tentative proposals for reforms.