The Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC) has ruled that Health New Zealand Southern failed to provide a pregnant woman with the “reasonable care and skill” that could have saved her baby. The decision follows an investigation into the care provided during the pregnancy and surrounding events leading to a stillbirth. The reporting says the commissioner found shortcomings in the standard of care, indicating that different actions might have changed the outcome.
Otago Daily Times articles also report that Health New Zealand Southern expresses remorse for the failings and that senior medical leadership, including the Southern chief medical officer, has offered an apology. The coverage characterises the response as acknowledging the harm caused and the need to address the lapses identified by the HDC.
Overall, the sources agree on the key elements of the commissioner’s finding: a breach of the “reasonable care and skill” standard, the conclusion that appropriate care could have prevented the death of the baby, and the public apology from the health provider.
