Department of Health

Privacy and consent in service coordination

Key messages

Privacy and consent are key issues to be considered in all elements of service coordination and referral.

There is a combination of Victorian and Commonwealth legislation that sets privacy requirements for service providers.

Privacy and consent are key issues to be considered in all elements of service coordination and referral.

Privacy

There is a combination of Victorian and Commonwealth legislation that sets privacy requirements for service providers.

The Health Services Commissioner provides a series of fact sheets on privacy and the use and disclosure of consumer information

Protecting the privacy of people's information is vital to the service coordination process. The department has developed a brochure to support service providers when they talk to consumers about their privacy rights: Your information, it's private, which is available in over 50 languages, including Easy English.

Privacy legislation requires the protection of a person's personal information and their right to decide how the information is used, disclosed to or shared with others. Consumer consent is a compulsory part of the information exchange process. The primary purpose of information collection is the purpose for which the information was originally provided. The secondary purpose is any additional use that is not directly related to the consumer’s original disclosure. Consumers must agree to the disclosure of information for secondary purposes. As part of the Service Coordination Tool Templates (SCTT) the Department of Health has developed a Consent to share information template that is available in over 50 different languages, including Easy English.

Reviewed 05 January 2023

Health.vic

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