Guideline - Statutory guidelines on the management of health services
Read or download the document here: Guideline - Statutory guidelines on the management of health services September 2004
The Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW) (the HRIP Act) creates a scheme to regulate the collection and handling of health information by public and private sector organisations in New South Wales. It applies to every organisation that is a health service provider or collects, holds or uses health information.
The HRIP Act aims to promote fair and responsible handling of health information by:
- protecting the privacy of an individual’s health information held in the public and private sectors
- enabling individuals to gain access to their health information
- providing an accessible framework for resolving complaints about the handling of health information.
The objects of the HRIP Act are to:
- balance the public interest in protecting the privacy of health information with the public interest in the legitimate use of that information
- enhance the ability of individuals to be informed about their health care
- promote the provision of quality health services.
The HRIP Act contains 15 Health Privacy Principles (HPPs). These HPPs are the key to the HRIP Act. They are legal obligations that describe what organisations must do when they collect, store, use or disclose health information.
This publication outlines the requirements for the use and disclosure of health information for the management of health services.
