The Australian Privacy Commissioner, Karen Curtis, has issued
new privacy guidance materials for medical practitioners and other
health service providers and the public.

The guidance materials consist of five information sheets for healthcare in the Australian private sector, and seven FAQs for members of the public.

The information sheets address the following issues:

• Fees that can be charged for patients to access their records.
• Use and disclosure of health information for managing a health service.
• Sharing health information within a treating team.
• Sharing health information with relatives of an incapacitated patient.
• Denial of access to health information due to a serious threat to life or health.

The FAQs answer questions relating to: patients accessing their
medical records, who doctors can disclose patient information to, and
whether doctors need to obtain the patient’s consent.