New World, Better World? Implementing Cartwright

Abstract

The Labour government embraced the report wholeheartedly. The New Zealand Medical Journal reported within two weeks of its publication that the government intended to implement the recommendations that directly concerned the agencies under its control and follow up those directed at other parties.¹ This included restructuring ethical committees, setting up a patient advocate and health commissioner system to protect patients’ rights, developing consent procedures, improving medical teaching and initiating a national screening programme.²