About Patients Rights Advocacy Waikato Incorporated
Empowering people with information and knowledge is a key objective of Patients Rights Advocacy Waikato Incorporated. To advocate is to support another.s cause, represent others, speak up on their behalf, to break the cycle of powerlessness. When you need advocacy to support you, to have your say and to be heard, it is fundamental to autonomy, the ability to have your needs met. You become more independent.
The Society provides community education and patients. advocacy services on a wide range of health related and medical issues. It was established in the early 1980s, and became and incorporated society in 1988. Membership is currently about 600, including a number of law firms, health practitioners and organisations with an interest in patients. advocacy. Funding is by subscriptions, donations and grants.
The Society is linked to a number of similar patients. advocacy groups overseas and while regular contact is maintained, the internet and e-mail provide immediate updates on international news, issues and developments in the field of patients. advocacy. Assisting patients to exercise their rights in the health area, encouraging compliance with laws and codes of practice within the health professions and empowering people with information and knowledge, enables them to be more responsible when dealing with the health system.
The Society is totally independent from any of the government funded health, education and advocacy providers. It provides a better service and believes all people must have the right to speak on behalf of patients whose rights are ignored. The group provides a resource booklet for members outlining helpful contacts, literature and videos which assist with understanding patients. rights, informed consent, choices, empowerment and iatrogenesis (doctor induced injuries). Leaflets are also provided, some highlighting the effects of psychotropic drugs.
When patients compare stories on drug effects it is evident they were not given full information on drugs prescribed, even though the law requires this. In 1998, Bill English stated that New Zealand has the highest rate of reported adverse reactions to drugs in the world. We want to reverse this statistic by educating patients on drug effects. We are educating the public and the Government on the effects of the Benzodiazepine drugs i.e. addiction and horrible withdrawal effects.
In 1999 the Benzodiazepines were reclassified as controlled drugs under class C. Many patients have been taking Benzodiazepines for years without recognising the effects. Common Benzodiazepine drugs are Ativan, Valium, Mogadon, Halcion, Xanax, Rivotril, Rohypnol, and Diazepam, but there are numerous others in the category. These drugs create the effects they are used to treat, e.g. anxiety, stuttering, blurred vision, muscle fatigue, agoraphobia, fears, anger, memory loss, confusion, lack of concentration, sleep disturbance and more adverse effects.
There are restrictions on the prescribing on Benzodiazepines, which many people including doctors appear to be unaware of. Withdrawal from these drugs must be gradual and monitored. Psychiatric drugs cannot be stopped suddenly because of the risk of rebound effects which can be extremely severe.
The Society assists organisations and individuals who may require legal advice on matters of health and medical law and has a close working relationship with a number of law firms throughout the country specialising in medical law. While there are theoretical laws that exist for protecting patients and .compensating. for iatrogenesis, the implementation of this adversarial law is a different matter with .burden of proof. on the patient. There is a need for the public to be better educated in the medico legal system. We keep up to date with changes to the medical laws and want to increase awareness of false impressions that exist regarding patient safety. The Official Information Act gives everyone the right to request access to their medical records. We also help patients to obtain copies of their medical records and assist victims of iatrogenesis.
Our community education programs cover many health and medical issues and we also help people to understand issues where health legislation or medical law is involved. We have in the past prevented people from being committed to mental institutions without their consent and we have prevented the abuse of power over people classified as mentally ill. The Right to refuse to undergo medical treatment is in the New Zealand Bill of Rights, Clause 10: Right to refuse to undergo medical treatment. Everyone has the right to refuse to undergo medical treatment.
Patients Rights Advocacy Waikato Inc. assists patients with complaints, affidavits, attending and organising seminars, assisting with research on health, extends the knowledge and abilities of members, preparing compensation claims for personal injury by accident, medical misadventure, medical error and Benzodiazepine claims for submission to the Accident Compensation Rehabilitation Insurance Corporation. The Society has also been successful in overturning a number of previous ACC decisions. This is also an important component to empowerment through knowledge and experience. The patient is the expert.
Some of our members have published their own books, videos and stories. These stories have had healing effects for others similarly affected by drugs or adverse treatments. Validation of what happens to people .behind the scenes. in the health system is very important. Other members are unable to read, write, remember or comprehend because of iatrogenesis. This enforces the commitment of the group to work and educate in a role, preventing doctor induced injuries (iatrogenesis) wherever and whenever possible.
Objectives
The objectives of Patients Rights Advocacy Waikato Incorporated are
- To assist patients patients to exercise their rights in the health area
- To improve and encourage compliance with laws and codes of practice
- To provide people with information and knowledge to enable them to be responsible for their health
- To promote accountability within the medical profession, including correct diagnosis and a code of rights.
- To assist with obtaining personal records, informing patients about their legal rights, assisting with legal representation, personal injuries by accident, medical misadventure, Benzodiazepine claims, redress through the Rehabilitation and Compensation Insurance Corporation.
Sometimes medications cause problems. These are .side effects. but real effects. The public needs written information. The rights of the patient should be spelt out. There is no justice and it takes too long before any action is taken. The patient has to wait for years. We believe the hospital should not be able to make appointments for an Ethics Committee, because the principles and guidelines will be like insider trading. Whose ethics? The doctors protect each other, not the patient.
The patient must know what is going on. The patient should be protected, not the doctor. The patient has our full support. We need to monitor the health system, health services and health professionals to ensure that they are accountable and better able to meet people.s needs.
Activities include:
- Running seminars/workshops for members and the wider community
- Maintaining an extensive library of resources and information on medical law, health issues and the provision of information to members and others
- Publishing reports, books and discussion papers and making media statements on health such as Electroconvulsive Shock Torture, law reform, and bad drugs called .medicine. for diseases which do not exist.
- Objecting to direct consumer advertising on television
Patients Rights Advocacy Waikato Inc.
65 Tawa Street
Hamilton
New Zealand
Phone/Fax 64-7-8435837
Membership Fees:
Individual $10NZ Family $20NZ Group $44NZ