Australian Capital Territory Numbered Regulations

PUBLIC HEALTH REGULATIONS 2000 (2000 NO 1) - REG 23

(1)     The chief health officer must inform each woman from whom a cervical smear or cervical tissue is to be taken—

        (a)     of her right to choose not to participate in the cervical cancer prevention program by contributing registrable information to the cervical cytology register; and

        (b)     that failure to participate in the program will not affect her right to have the smear or tissue taken.

(2)     A health practitioner who takes a cervical smear or cervical tissue from a woman must attach a refusal of consent marker to the pathology request form if the woman informs the practitioner that she does not consent to registration of her registrable information.

(3)     However, a health practitioner who takes a cervical smear or cervical tissue from a woman must not attach a refusal of consent marker to the pathology request form unless the woman informs the practitioner that she does not consent to registration of her registrable information.

(4)     This regulation only applies to a woman whose usual place of residence is in the Territory.