Information for medical practitioners and pathology services on privacy legislation and notifiable condition in Victoria

Under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008, doctors and laboratories are required by law to notify the Department of Health & Human Services of diagnoses of specified conditions. The Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2009 stipulate the information that must be provided. This includes demographic data, clinical history, the disease or condition diagnosed, risk factors, suspected modes of transmission and clinical comments. The HRA requires you to inform your patient that this information is provided to the department, the reasons why it is provided and that there is a legal imperative to do so. The department has developed information sheets you can give your patient to assist with this process.