Printed from https://fyi.org.nz./request/29217-privacy-commissioner-s-consultation-to-share-private-medical-information-covid-vaccination-status on December 18, 2024 20:44

Privacy Commissioner's Consultation to Share private medical information / covid vaccination status

Erika Whittome made this Official Information request to Privacy Commissioner

Response to this request is delayed. By law, Privacy Commissioner should normally have responded promptly and by (details and exceptions)

From: Erika Whittome

Dear Privacy Commissioner,
I refer to a "news" communication dated 15 October 2021 from the Waikato DHB called Staff Advisory - Order Requiring Healthcare Workers to be Vaccinated Against
COVID-19
This "news" says:

The DHB received permission from the Ministry of Health to access the Covid Immunisation Register for those staff where we did not have a vaccination status. It has been agreed it is essential for us to understand our workforce’s vaccination status so we can rapidly and safely deploy staff to where they are needed most for our public health response to this outbreak and to manage the risk of a wider community outbreak. This access was granted after the Ministry of Health consulted the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, which confirmed the Ministry could apply Rule 11(2)(d) of the Health Information Privacy Code to allow disclosure of this private health information to DHBs to support the public health response for this current outbreak.

Would you kindly share the memos, consultation documents, correspondence, emails and any other communications regarding this consultation back in October 2021 to the Privacy Commissioner.

Yours faithfully,

Erika Whittome

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From: Erika Whittome

Dear Privacy Commissioner,

Please acknowledge this request for information will be answered in the statutory timeframe

Yours faithfully,

Erika Whittome

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From: OIA
Privacy Commissioner

Kia ora Erika,

Confirming receipt of this request. We will respond to your request as soon as we can, and no later than 13 December.

Ngā mihi,
Emily

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From: OIA
Privacy Commissioner

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Attachment 2024 12 10 official information response.pdf
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Tçnâ koe

 

Please find attached the Privacy Commissioner’s response to your official
information request.

 

 

Aku mihi

 

Sharyn Leonard

Executive Assistant (Legal) | Kaiâwhina Mâtâmua – Ture

 

Office of the Privacy Commissioner  Te Mana Mâtâpono Matatapu
PO Box 10094, Wellington 6140

privacy.org.nz 

 

[1]NZBN 9429041913161

 

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References

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1. https://www.nzbn.govt.nz/mynzbn/nzbndeta...
2. http://privacy.org.nz/subscribe/
3. http://www.facebook.com/PrivacyNZ
4. https://twitter.com/NZPrivacy
5. http://www.privacy.org.nz/ask

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From: Erika Whittome

Dear OIA,
You have withheld the information based on " the serious threat". Would you kindly share the details on how "the serious threat" was justified?

Yours sincerely,

Erika Whittome

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From: OIA
Privacy Commissioner

Tēnā koe

 

You have asked us about the reference to "serious threat" when we
responded to your OIA request on 10 December 2024.

 

Please note that in responding to your OIA request, information has not
been withheld on the basis of the Privacy Act's "serious threat"
exception.

 

To explain our response, the information you requested was withheld under
section 18(c)(i) of the Official Information Act, apart from the summary
that was released to you under section 206(2) of the Privacy Act.

 

This summary explains the operation of the "serious threat" exception in
the Health Information Privacy Code in feedback that OPC gave to the
Ministry of Health in 2021.

 

 

Aku mihi

 

 

 

OIA team

 

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