Treatment notes go missing at Gisborne Hospital

The notes related to patients who received physiotherapy on their hands between 2012 and 2015. Photo / 123rf

A bunch of clinical notes at Gisborne Hospital have been lost.

Notes relating to patients who received physiotherapy on their hands between 2012 and 2015 at the hospital are nowhere to be found, the hospital said.

Hauora Tairawhiti shared services clinical care manager Kate Mather said the notes might include hand treatment details and the referral from a doctor. They did not include a patient's full medical record.

The problem was discovered recently during an audit.

A full investigation has now taken place and the missing notes can be linked back to the treating therapist, a previous employee of Hauora Tairawhiti.

That person has been assisting with the investigation. Most of the missing notes have been located but 118 of them have still not been found.

Patients whose notes are missing have been contacted.

Mather said she understood the incident was concerning for the people who were treated five to six years ago.

"We sincerely regret any anxiety this might cause people," she said.

"We have done all we can to recover the missing notes and to make sure this never happens again. I invite anyone with concerns to contact me.

"The investigation has identified opportunities to improve Hauora Tairawhiti's processes around the management of clinical files."

Procedures are now in place to ensure all clinical files are closed by an administrator once a person's treatment has finished.

"Through this process, we can check for open files at any time to see where the clinical files are located, therefore any inconsistencies will be highlighted early."

The physiotherapist has been referred to their professional body, which is conducting an investigation. The incident has also been referred to the Privacy Commission and the Ministry of Health has been notified.

- The Gisborne Herald