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Department of Health working to improve Right to Information processes

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The Department of Health is committed to providing the highest level of healthcare possible to all Tasmanians and operating in a transparent and accountable manner. 

The Department is taking the findings of the Integrity Commission investigation into Right to Information (RTI) procedures very seriously, accepting all recommendations and committing to improve processes. 

Specific to each of the three recommendations:

  1. In accordance with Employment Direction No.5, the Associate Secretary will initiate an investigation to determine whether an employee has breached the State Service Act 2000, Code of Conduct.

  2. The RTI Panel has been disbanded and no longer forms part of the Department’s RTI processes. Further work is being led by the Director of the Office of the Secretary to ensure that RTI processes are completed in line with the Act and outlined policies and procedures, ensuring the principles are upheld and without bias.

  3. The Department will work collaboratively with the Head of the State Service to improve RTI processes and implement any training opportunities.

Accepting these recommendations, the Associate Secretary is embracing this opportunity to improve Department of Health processes. 

The Department’s Office of the Secretary has developed a new RTI policy, as is a requirement of the Act and work is underway to finalise this policy as an immediate priority, once completed, this will be made public on the Department of Health website.  

The updated Policy and Procedures will be used in the Department of Health (DoH), Tasmanian Health Service (THS), Ambulance Tasmania (AT) and Voluntary Assisted Dying Commission (VAD) in response to requests for information in the possession of these public authorities. 

The procedure will be further complemented by a Statewide Information Privacy Policy that has been developed by the Department’s Health ICT Strategy, Information Management and Governance Office. 

I want to reassure all Tasmanians that having been made aware of these findings, the Department of Health has acted swiftly, accepting all recommendations, and taking actions to improve RTI processes.