Information Publication Scheme (IPS) Agency Plan

The Information Publication Scheme (IPS) Agency Plan outlines the mechanisms and procedures that the Australian Digital Health Agency (the Agency) is required to undertake in managing and making available information.

In accordance with section 8(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act), the Agency has prepared its Information Publication Scheme (IPS) Agency Plan.

Purpose

The purpose of this plan is to:

assist the Agency in planning and developing its contribution to the IPS;
show what information the Agency proposes to publish, how and to whom the information will be published and how the Agency will otherwise comply with the IPS.

Objectives

This Agency Plan outlines the mechanisms and procedures the Agency is required to undertake in managing and making available information. This includes, explaining how we will:

publish information under our IPS to the public generally;
manage our information holdings that are relevant to the IPS;
identify all information required to be published, including this Agency Plan; and proactively identify any other information to be published as ‘other information’;
regularly review information published under the IPS to ensure it remains complete, accurate and up to date; and
ensure that online content published under our IPS conforms with the Government’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines WCAG 2.0, and that the information published is discoverable, searchable, understandable and reusable; and
develop a mechanism and procedures to measure the success of the Agency’s compliance with IPS.

Implementing the Information Publication Scheme

SES responsibility for the IPS

Our Agency’s Chief Operating Officer has oversight of the Agency’s implementation of the IPS and is supported by our Governance Branch.

FOI webpage

The freedom of information page on our website outlines how the public can request access to information we hold, and the information we make publicly available under section 8(2)(g) of the FOI Act.

Disclosure log

The disclosure log lists documents that we have disclosed in response to an FOI request. The log lists summary information such as date of release, number of documents and descriptions of the types of documents released.

We will either publish these documents on our website or provide a process or contact information for members of the public to request the documents, in accordance with section 11C of the FOI Act.

Operational information

The Agency was established on 30 January 2016 under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability (Establishing the Australian Digital Health Agency) Rule 2016 and commenced operations on 1 July 2016.

As soon as practicable, the Agency will publish a list of the operational information that we use in our decision-making processes and make this information available as downloadable documents.

Our structure

Our organisational structure includes a Board, four advisory committees, the Audit and Risk Committee, and five internal divisions. Our organisation chart provides more information on our internal structure.

Statutory appointments and advisory committees

We will publish details of the Agency’s statutory appointments, (currently our Board and our CEO), along with details of our advisory committees to provide greater transparency about the management of our Agency and the role of our Board and of each of our committees set up under legislation that provide special services to our Agency.

Our approach to our information holdings

If an IPS document is impractical to publish online (for example, due to its size), our website will explain how the public can request access through our Governance Branch.

For access to documents listed in this IPS Plan but which are not yet available for downloading, please contact the Governance Branch.

How to access information – information architecture

We will either publish our IPS documents on our website, via links on our website, or provide details of how to request information. Wherever possible, we will provide online content in a format that can be searched and copied.

We do not intend to publish our information to other sources or websites, at this point.

Our Agency will aim, so far as appropriate, to make its IPS information holdings available for reuse on open licensing terms.

Information required to be published

We will publish:

This IPS Agency plan (s 8(2)(a))
Organisational chart (s 8(2)(b))
Statutory appointments (s 8(2)(d))
What we do (s 8(2)(c))
Who are we (s 8(2)c))
Decision making powers (s 8(2)(c))
Annual reports (s 8(2)(e)) and any other information routinely provided to parliament (s 8(2)(h))
Information released pursuant to FOI requests (Disclosure Log) (s 8(2)(g))
Consultation documentation (s8(2)(f))
Operational information (s 8(2)(j))
Contact information (s 8(2)(i))

In addition, the following documents are available:

The Agency's functions and decision-making powers

Our Agency was established under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability (Establishing the Australian Digital Health Agency) Rule 2016 made by the Commonwealth Finance Minister under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.

This Rule sets out our functions and power. It also provides the establishment of advisory committees.

Our Agency is the System Operator of the My Health Record system regulated by the My Health Records Act 2012. Further information about the My Health Record system can be found at My Health Record website.

For any historical Publications relating to the My Health Record system, these can be found by conducting a search at the Department of Health.

At any time, information may be provided to Parliament, including statistics, as a result of a direct request for information either through a committee inquiry process or via any other statutory requirement. Any additional documents that are provided to Parliament by the Agency will be published as soon as is practicable.

Other Information to be published under the IPS

The Agency will publish other optional information that it holds (in addition to the information published under s 8(2)), taking into account the objects of the FOI Act (s 8(4)), and in the interest of full disclosure and transparency.

The Agency will publish as much information as possible to comply with the FOI Act and in the interests of full disclosure.

Administering the Agency’s IPS

The Agency will be as proactive as possible in publishing both optional and operational information. The Agency’s objective is to publish as much information as practicable the interests of transparency regarding the functions and operations of the Agency. The Agency will endeavour to maintain an accurate and up to date register of information published under this IPS.

In line with the guidelines published by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC), we will regularly update and maintain the Agency’s IPS.

Review

The Agency will ensure it conducts an appropriate review of the information published to audit its accuracy and currency. The Agency will ensure that comments made by the public, in relation to this Agency Plan will be taken into account, and the Agency plan amended as appropriate.

Feedback

If you have feedback on our IPS plan, please contact us:

Email: [email protected]

Postal address:

Freedom of Information Officer
Australian Digital Health Agency
Scarborough House
Level 7, 1 Atlantic Street
Woden ACT 2606 Australia