Right to Information
Accessing Non-Personal Information held by SWAHS
From 1 July 2010, the new Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA Act) replaced the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 1989 (NSW), and introduces a new right to information system in New South Wales.
The GIPA Act applies to all NSW government agencies, including Sydney West Area Health Service. The new right to information laws promote openness, accountability and transparency and makes government agencies more proactive in providing information to the public. The GIPA Act establishes a new model of openness under which formal applications for access to information should be a last resort. It authorises and encourages the release of information proactively, limited only be legitimate public interest considerations.
Note that SWAHS makes a lot of information publicly available, for example, in the NSW Health Annual Report and on the SWAHS Internet. To access information from SWAHS:
- search our internet website, to see if it is already readily available
- contact us and ask for the information. Sydney West Area Health Service will decide whether the information you want:
- is open access information that is readily available. If it is, we will tell you where and how you can get the information.
- should be made available as part of a ‘proactive release’ of information.
- can be disclosed to you through ‘informal release’, for example where no third party personal information is involved.
- requires a ‘formal access application’, for example because consultation with a third party is required.
For further information on the GIPA Act and accessing information click here.
For further information please contact the SWAHS Right to Information Coordinator on (02) 4734 3361
Accessing Personal Information Held by SWAHS Including Medical Records
Your personal information can be accessed in several ways. For further information click here.
For assistance with accessing your medical record contact the facility you attended. For facility contact details, click here.
