Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

HEALTHCARE IDENTIFIERS ACT 2010 - NOTES

No. 72, 2010

Compilation No. 19

Compilation date: 14 October 2024

Includes amendments: Act No. 38, 2024

About this compilation

This compilation

This is a compilation of the Healthcare Identifiers Act 2010 that shows the text of the law as amended and in force on 14 October 2024 (the compilation date).

The notes at the end of this compilation (the endnotes) include information about amending laws and the amendment history of provisions of the compiled law.

Uncommenced amendments

The effect of uncommenced amendments is not shown in the text of the compiled law. Any uncommenced amendments affecting the law are accessible on the Register (www.legislation.gov.au). The details of amendments made up to, but not commenced at, the compilation date are underlined in the endnotes. For more information on any uncommenced amendments, see the Register for the compiled law.

Application, saving and transitional provisions for provisions and amendments

If the operation of a provision or amendment of the compiled law is affected by an application, saving or transitional provision that is not included in this compilation, details are included in the endnotes.

Editorial changes

For more information about any editorial changes made in this compilation, see the endnotes.

Modifications

If the compiled law is modified by another law, the compiled law operates as modified but the modification does not amend the text of the law. Accordingly, this compilation does not show the text of the compiled law as modified. For more information on any modifications, see the Register for the compiled law.

Self-repealing provisions

If a provision of the compiled law has been repealed in accordance with a provision of the law, details are included in the endnotes.

Contents

Part 1--Preliminary

1 Short title

2 Commencement

3 Purpose of this Act

3A Simplified outline of this Act

4 Act to bind the Crown

4A External Territories

5 Definitions

6 Identity of service operator

7 Meaning of identifying information

8 Meaning of national registration authority

Part 2--Assigning healthcare identifiers

9AA Simplified outline of this Part

9 Assigning healthcare identifiers

9A Classes of healthcare provider that may be assigned a healthcare identifier by the service operator

9B Information that may be requested before assigning healthcare identifiers

9C Review of decision not to assign a healthcare identifier

10 Service operator must keep record of healthcare identifiers etc.

Part 3--Collection, use and disclosure of healthcare identifiers, identifying information and other information

Division 1--Simplified outline of this Part

11 Simplified outline of this Part

Division 2--Healthcare recipients

12 Collection, use and disclosure--assigning a healthcare identifier to a healthcare recipient

13 Collection, use and disclosure--establishing and maintaining a record of healthcare identifiers for healthcare recipients

14 Collection, use and disclosure--providing healthcare to a healthcare recipient

15 Collection, use and disclosure--My Health Record system

16 Collection, use and disclosure--aged care

17 Adopting the healthcare identifier of a healthcare recipient etc.

18 Disclosure of the healthcare identifier of a healthcare recipient to the healthcare recipient etc.

19 Other information relating to the healthcare identifier of a healthcare recipient may be disclosed by the service operator

20 Regulations relating to the healthcare identifier and identifying information of a healthcare recipient etc.

Division 3--Healthcare providers

21 Collection, use and disclosure--assigning a healthcare identifier to a healthcare provider

22 Collection, use and disclosure--establishing and maintaining a record of healthcare identifiers for healthcare providers

23 Collection, use and disclosure--providing healthcare

24 Collection, use and disclosure--My Health Record system

25 Collection, use and disclosure--enabling authentication in electronic communications

25A Collection, use and disclosure--sharing information with registration authorities

25B Adopting the healthcare identifier of a healthcare provider

25C Disclosure of the healthcare identifier of a healthcare provider to the healthcare provider

25D Regulations relating to the healthcare identifier and other information of a healthcare provider

25E Obligation to keep information accurate, up-to-date and complete

Division 4--Unauthorised use and disclosure of healthcare identifiers and other information obtained under this Act

26 Use and disclosure of healthcare identifiers and other information obtained under this Act

Division 5--Protection of healthcare identifiers

27 Protection of healthcare identifiers

Part 4--Interaction with the Privacy Act 1988

28AA Simplified outline of this Part

28 Interaction with the Privacy Act 1988

29 Functions of Information Commissioner

30 Annual reports by Information Commissioner

Part 5--Healthcare Provider Directory

31AA Simplified outline of this Part

31 Healthcare Provider Directory

31A Healthcare Provider Directory--sharing information with the My Health Record System Operator

Part 5A--Enforcement

31B Simplified outline of this Part

31C Civil penalty provisions

31D Enforceable undertakings

31E Injunctions

Part 6--Oversight role of Ministerial Council

31F Simplified outline of this Part

32 Directions to service operator

33 Consultation with Ministerial Council about regulations

34 Annual reports by service operator

35 Review of the operation of this Act

Part 7--Miscellaneous

Division 1--Simplified outline of this Part

36AA Simplified outline of this Part

Division 2--Employees, contractors, partnerships, unincorporated associations and trusts

36 Extent of authorisation

36A Authorisation to disclose to employees and contracted service providers of a healthcare provider

36B Treatment of partnerships

36C Treatment of unincorporated associations

36D Treatment of trusts with multiple trustees

Division 3--Delegations

36E Delegations by the service operator

Division 4--Constitutional matters

37 Relationship to State and Territory laws

38 Severability--additional effect of Parts 3 and 4

Division 5--Regulations

39 Regulations

Endnotes

Endnote 1--About the endnotes

Endnote 2--Abbreviation key

Endnote 3--Legislation history

Endnote 4--Amendment history

Endnotes

Endnote 1--About the endnotes

The endnotes provide information about this compilation and the compiled law.

The following endnotes are included in every compilation:

Endnote 1--About the endnotes

Endnote 2--Abbreviation key

Endnote 3--Legislation history

Endnote 4--Amendment history

Abbreviation key--Endnote 2

The abbreviation key sets out abbreviations that may be used in the endnotes.

Legislation history and amendment history--Endnotes 3 and 4

Amending laws are annotated in the legislation history and amendment history.

The legislation history in endnote 3 provides information about each law that has amended (or will amend) the compiled law. The information includes commencement details for amending laws and details of any application, saving or transitional provisions that are not included in this compilation.

The amendment history in endnote 4 provides information about amendments at the provision (generally section or equivalent) level. It also includes information about any provision of the compiled law that has been repealed in accordance with a provision of the law.

Editorial changes

The Legislation Act 2003 authorises First Parliamentary Counsel to make editorial and presentational changes to a compiled law in preparing a compilation of the law for registration. The changes must not change the effect of the law. Editorial changes take effect from the compilation registration date.

If the compilation includes editorial changes, the endnotes include a brief outline of the changes in general terms. Full details of any changes can be obtained from the Office of Parliamentary Counsel.

Misdescribed amendments

A misdescribed amendment is an amendment that does not accurately describe how an amendment is to be made. If, despite the misdescription, the amendment can be given effect as intended, then the misdescribed amendment can be incorporated through an editorial change made under section  15V of the Legislation Act 2003.

If a misdescribed amendment cannot be given effect as intended, the amendment is not incorporated and "(md not incorp)" is added to the amendment history.

Endnote 2--Abbreviation key

 

ad = added or inserted	o = order(s)
am = amended	Ord = Ordinance
amdt = amendment	orig = original
c = clause(s)	par = paragraph(s)/subparagraph(s)
C[x] = Compilation No. x	/sub-subparagraph(s)
Ch = Chapter(s)	pres = present
def = definition(s)	prev = previous
Dict = Dictionary	(prev ... ) = previously
disallowed = disallowed by Parliament	Pt = Part(s)
Div = Division(s)	r = regulation(s)/rule(s)
ed = editorial change	reloc = relocated
exp = expires/expired or ceases/ceased to have	renum = renumbered
effect	rep = repealed
F = Federal Register of Legislation	rs = repealed and substituted
gaz = gazette	s = section(s)/subsection(s)
LA = Legislation Act 2003	Sch = Schedule(s)
LIA = Legislative Instruments Act 2003	Sdiv = Subdivision(s)
(md) = misdescribed amendment can be given	SLI = Select Legislative Instrument
effect	SR = Statutory Rules
(md not incorp) = misdescribed amendment	Sub-Ch = Sub-Chapter(s)
cannot be given effect	SubPt = Subpart(s)
mod = modified/modification	underlining = whole or part not
No. = Number(s)	commenced or to be commenced

Endnote 3--Legislation history

 

Act	Number and year	Assent	Commencement	Application, saving and transitional provisions
Healthcare Identifiers Act 2010	72, 2010	28 June 2010	29 June 2010 (s 2)
Healthcare Identifiers (Consequential Amendments) Act 2010	73, 2010	28 June 2010	Sch 3: 1 Nov 2010 (s 2(1) item 5)	--
Statute Law Revision Act 2011	5, 2011	22 Mar 2011	Sch 1 (items 60-63): 22 Mar 2011 (s 2(1) item 2)	--
Human Services Legislation Amendment Act 2011	32, 2011	25 May 2011	Sch 4 (items 152-158): 1 July 2011 (s 2(1) item 3)	--
Personally Controlled Electronic Health Records (Consequential Amendments) Act 2012	64, 2012	26 June 2012	Sch 1 (items 1-25): 29 June 2012 (s 2(1) item 2)	--
Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Act 2012	197, 2012	12 Dec 2012	Sch 5 (items 37-41, 164) and Sch 6 (items 15-19): 12 Mar 2014 (s 2(1) items  3, 19) Sch 6 (item 1): 12 Dec 2012 (s 2(1) item 16)	Sch 6 (items 1, 15-19)
Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2014	126, 2014	4 Dec 2014	Sch 3: 5 Dec 2014 (s 2(1) item 4)	--
Norfolk Island Legislation Amendment Act 2015	59, 2015	26 May 2015	Sch 2 (item 213): 1 July 2016 (s 2(1) item 5) Sch 2 (items 356-396): 18 June 2015 (s 2(1) item 6)	Sch 2 (items 356-396)
as amended by
Territories Legislation Amendment Act 2016	33, 2016	23 Mar 2016	Sch 2: 24 Mar 2016 (s 2(1) item 2)	--
Acts and Instruments (Framework Reform) (Consequential Provisions) Act 2015	126, 2015	10 Sept 2015	Sch 1 (items 253-255): 5 Mar 2016 (s 2(1) item 2)	--
Australian Immunisation Register (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Act 2015	139, 2015	12 Nov 2015	Sch 1 (item 4): 1 Jan 2016 (s 2(1) item 2) Sch 2 (items 34, 35): 30 Sept 2016 (s 2(1) item 3)	--
Health Legislation Amendment (eHealth) Act 2015	157, 2015	26 Nov 2015	Sch 1 (items 3-49, 111-136) and Sch 2 (items 1-6): 27 Nov 2015 (s 2(1) item 2)	Sch 1 (items 111-136)
Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (Budget Measures) Act 2017	59, 2017	22 June 2017	Sch 1 (item 24): 1 July 2017 (s 2(1) item 4)	--
Treatment Benefits (Special Access) (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2019	42, 2019	5 Apr 2019	Sch 1 (item 1) and Sch 2 (item 7): 6 Apr 2019 (s 2(1) item 2)	Sch 1 (item 1)
Aged Care Legislation Amendment (New Commissioner Functions) Act 2019	116, 2019	11 Dec 2019	Sch 1 (item 73) and Sch 4: 1 Jan 2020 (s 2(1) item  2)	Sch 4
Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2021	13, 2021	1 Mar 2021	Sch 2 (item 456): 1 Sept 2021 (s 2(1) item 5)	--
Administrative Review Tribunal (Consequential and Transitional Provisions No. 1) Act 2024	38, 2024	31 May 2024	Sch 12 (item 39): 14 Oct 2024 (s 2(1) item 2)	--
COAG Legislation Amendment Act 2024	54, 2024	5 July 2024	Sch 2 (items 15, 94-98): 6 July 2024 (s 2(1) items 3, 6)	Sch 2 (item 94-98)

Endnote 4--Amendment history

 

Provision affected	How affected
Part 1
s 3A....................	ad No 157, 2015
s 4.....................	am No 59, 2015
s 4A....................	ad. No. 64, 2012
s 5.....................	am No 32, 2011; No 64, 2012; No 197, 2012; No 126, 2014; No 139, 2015; No 157, 2015; No 59, 2017; No 42, 2019; No  116, 2019; No 54, 2024
	ed C19
s 6.....................	ad No 157, 2015
s 7.....................	am No 157, 2015
Part 2
s 9AA...................	ad No 157, 2015
	am No 38, 2024
s 9.....................	am No 197, 2012; No 157, 2015
s 9A....................	rs No 157, 2015
s 9C....................	am No 38, 2024
s. 10....................	am. No. 64, 2012; No 157, 2015
Part 3
Part 3 heading.............	rs No 157, 2015
Division 1
Division 1 heading..........	rs No 64, 2012; No 157, 2015
Division 1................	rs No 157, 2015
s 11....................	rs No 157, 2015
s. 11A...................	ad. No. 64, 2012
	rep No 157, 2015
Division 2
Division 2................	rs No 157, 2015
s. 12....................	am. No. 32, 2011
	rs No 157, 2015
s 12A...................	ad No 126, 2014
	rep No 157, 2015
s 13....................	rs No 157, 2015
s 14....................	rs No 157, 2015
s 15....................	rs No 157, 2015
s 16....................	rs No 157, 2015
s 17....................	rs No 157, 2015
s. 18....................	am No 64, 2012; No 197, 2012
	rs No 157, 2015
s 19....................	rs No 157, 2015
s. 19A...................	ad. No. 64, 2012
	rep No 157, 2015
s. 19B...................	ad. No. 64, 2012
	rep No 157, 2015
s. 19C...................	ad. No. 64, 2012
	rep No 157, 2015
s 19D...................	ad No 126, 2014
	rep No 157, 2015
s. 20....................	am. No. 64, 2012
	rs No 157, 2015
Division 2A...............	ad. No. 64, 2012
	rep No 157, 2015
Division 3
Division 3................	rs No 157, 2015
s 21....................	rs No 157, 2015
s 22....................	rs No 157, 2015
s. 22A...................	ad. No. 64, 2012
	rep No 157, 2015
s. 22B...................	ad. No. 64, 2012
	rep No 157, 2015
s. 22C...................	ad. No. 64, 2012
	rep No 157, 2015
s. 22D...................	ad. No. 64, 2012
	rep No 157, 2015
	am No 139, 2015 (amdt never applied (Sch 2 item 35))
s. 22E...................	ad. No. 64, 2012
	rep No 157, 2015
s 23....................	am No 197, 2012
	rs No 157, 2015
s 23A...................	ad No 126, 2014
	rep No 157, 2015
s 24....................	rs No 157, 2015
s. 24A...................	ad. No. 64, 2012
	rep No 157, 2015
s 25....................	rs No 157, 2015
s 25A...................	ad No 157, 2015
s 25B...................	ad No 157, 2015
s 25C...................	ad No 157, 2015
s 25D...................	ad No 157, 2015
s 25E...................	ad No 157, 2015
Division 4
Division 4 heading..........	rs No 157, 2015
s 26....................	am No 197, 2012
	rs No 157, 2015
Part 4
s 28AA..................	ad No 157, 2015
s 29....................	am No. 73, 2010; No 197, 2012; No 157, 2015
s. 30....................	am. No. 73, 2010
Part 5
s 31AA..................	ad No 157, 2015
s 31....................	rs No 157, 2015
s 31A...................	ad No 157, 2015
Part 5A
Part 5A..................	ad No 157, 2015
s 31B...................	ad No 157, 2015
s 31C...................	ad No 157, 2015
	am No 13, 2021
s 31D...................	ad No 157, 2015
	am No 13, 2021
s 31E...................	ad No 157, 2015
	am No 13, 2021
Part 6
s 31F...................	ad No 157, 2015
s 32....................	am No 126, 2015
s 34....................	am No 157, 2015
s 35....................	rs No 157, 2015
Part 7
Division 1
Division 1................	ad No 157, 2015
s 36AA..................	ad No 157, 2015
Division 2
Division 2 heading..........	ad No 157, 2015
s 36....................	am. No. 5, 2011; No. 64, 2012; No 157, 2015
s 36A...................	ad No 157, 2015
s 36B...................	ad No 157, 2015
s 36C...................	ad No 157, 2015
s 36D...................	ad No 157, 2015
Division 3
Division 3................	ad No 157, 2015
s 36E...................	ad No 157, 2015
Division 4
Division 4 heading..........	ad No 157, 2015
s 37....................	am No 126, 2015
Division 5
Division 5 heading..........	ad No 157, 2015

Endnote 5--Editorial changes

In preparing this compilation for registration, the following kinds of editorial change(s) were made under the Legislation Act 2003.

Section 5

Kind of editorial change

Reordering of definitions

Details of editorial change

This compilation was editorially changed to move the definitions of registered portal operator and registered repository operator in section 5 to the correct alphabetical positions.