EmailHospital Circular 06/1999
Date Issued:
21 June 1999
Publication: 6/1999
Contact: Head Office
Distribution: Public Hospitals, Extended Care Facilities
Subject: General
Disposal Schedule for Public Health Services Patient Records
The main purpose of this circular is to announce the issue of the new General Disposal Schedule for Public Health Services Patient Records and the information sessions which coincide training program planned for with its implementation.
The General Disposal Schedule for Public Health Services Patient Records (PROS 99/04) was issued on 19 May, 1999 under Section 12 of the Public Records Act 1973. It replaces the General Disposal Schedule for Public Hospital Patient Information Records (PROS 85/09), issued on 26 October 1987.
The new Schedule defines the retention periods and consequent disposal actions authorised for patient information records held by Victorian public hospitals, extended care hospitals, and community health centres and mental health services. The Schedule aims to ensure that patient information is retained long enough to meet clinical and legal requirements, but balanced with the need for effective and efficient records management practices.
To assist with the effective implementation of this important Schedule, the Department has arranged a comprehensive program of training information sessions for the health information management staff of public hospitals, extended care facilities, and community health centres and mental health services. Full details have been mailed to your facility, addressed to the manager of your patient record department. The Department hopes you will release all appropriate staff to attend one of these sessions. There will be no fee for this training.
Hard copies of the schedule will be made available to Health Information Managers who attend the training. Copies can otherwise be obtained from the Department's Archival Services Unit or from the Public Record Office Website.
For public hospitals and extended care facilities, the Department is developing a pamphlet which all public hospitals and extended care facilities would provide to patients. The pamphlet would provide patients with information about patient records (their retention; the patient's right of access; and the uses made of de-identified data by the Department for planning, epidemiological and funding purposes, as well as by outside agencies such as disease registers). The Department has requested quotes to manage the development of this material, advised by a consultative committee with consumer advocacy, and hospital, clinical and health information management input.
If you have queries about the General Disposal Schedule or the information sessions, please contact the Department's Archival Services on 9609 1770.
If you have queries about the development of the pamphlet, please contact the Health Data Standards and Systems Help Desk on 9616 8141.
DR
C W BROOK
DIRECTOR
ACUTE HEALTH
