| Administrative access | Access RTI/IP | Amendment IP | Internal review | External review |
| Information sheets |
Requests for access to health records must be in writing and directed to the office of the health facility's senior health professional. A list of public health hospitals and facilities is available at: http://www.health.qld.gov.au/healthservices/byFacility.asp
Documentary evidence of identity should be supplied at this time.
Applications requesting access to non-personal information or a combination of personal and non-personal information are made under the Right to Information Act 2009 (RTI). There is an application fee for access to documents and there may be processing and access charges.
Applications requesting access to personal information only are made under the Information Privacy Act 2009 (IP). There is no application fee or processing charges for access to your own personal information only, however there may be access charges. You will be required to provide evidence of your identity at the time your pplication is lodged.
Before making a formal application, you should contact the relevant area as agencies have a general obligation to allow you to amend your personal information. The informal option will apply in most cases – for example, where you simply wish to update your current contact details. Agencies are required to assist people using reasonable, available and practicable informal options first.
However, if you wish to make a formal application to amend your personal information under the IP Act, you can download the application form and submit your application via post, fax or email or in person.
There are no charges for applications to amend personal information.
If an applicant is not satisfied with the original decision, they can apply for an 'internal review' within 20 business days of receiving the original decision. The internal review must be dealt with by an officer who was not involved in processing the original application, and the internal review decision maker must issue a fresh decision within 20 days of receipt of the internal review application.
Internal review is an optional stage in the appeal process for the RTI and IP Acts. An applicant may choose to proceed directly to the external review stage.
If an applicant is dissatisfied with either the original or internal review decisions, they may then apply to the Information Commissioner for an 'external review' of the department's decision. An application for external review should be lodged with the Information Commissioner within 20 business days of receiving the internal review decision. This must be done in writing either via a letter or by using the form located on the Information Commissioner's website at http://www.oic.qld.gov.au/.
There are no fees or charges for either internal or external review.
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