If not delivered return to PO Box 7820 Canberra BC ACT 2610
20 February 2019
Our reference: LEX 42296
FOI Applicant
Only by email
: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx Dear Madam/Sir
Freedom of Information Request – Preliminary assessment of charges
I refer to your original request, dated and received by the Department of Human Services
(
department) on 2 February 2019, made under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (
FOI
Act), for the following documents:
‘Could you please provide documents that include the information that relates to the
Practice Incentives Program eHealth Incentive Program ['ePIP'] as per this webpage:
https://www.humanservices.gov.au/organisations/health-
professionals/enablers/ehealth-incentive/47761
1. What date did this program commence?
2. How many GP practices are currently participating in the ePIP program (as of 2
February 2019)?
3. A list, current of 2 February 2019, of all GP practices participating in the ePIP
program.
4. From the commencement of the ePIP program until 2 February 2019, how many
GP practices have participated in the ePIP program?
5. Briefing notes, or summaries, or audits relating to the effectiveness of the ePIP
program.
6. The total sum of all payments made under the ePIP program.
7. The total number of shared health summaries uploaded to My Health Record, by
virtue of the ePIP program.’
The department received an email, dated and received on 9 February 2019, revising your
original request to (
revised request):
‘Further to the original request lodged 2 February 2019, I wish to narrow the scope of
some of the requested documents. Subsequent to the lodgement of the request,
publicly available information makes clear that the ePIP requirement to upload
shared health summaries [‘SHS’] to the My Health Record ['MHR'] system was
introduced after the commencement of the ePIP program.
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If not delivered return to PO Box 7820 Canberra BC ACT 2610
Accordingly, the scope of items 1, 4, 5, 6 are narrowed as follows:
1. What date did the ePIP eligibility requirement for participating practices to upload
SHS for a minimum of 0.5% of the practice’s standardised whole patient equivalent
become mandatory [‘the commencement date’]?
4. From the commencement date until 2 February 2019, how many GP practices
have participated in the ePIP program?
5. Briefing notes, or summaries, or audits relating to the effectiveness of the ePIP
program after the commencement date.
6. The total sum of all payments made under the ePIP program from the
commencement date.
The scope of the other documents requested at items 2, 3 and 7 remain unchanged.’
On 13 February 2019, the department notified you that parts 1, 5, 6, and 7 of your request
has been transferred to the Department of Health pursuant to section 16 of the FOI Act.
Our department will proceed with processing parts 2, 3 and 4 of your FOI request.
Preliminary Assessment of the Charge
In accordance with section 29 of the FOI Act and regulation 9 of the
Freedom of Information
(Charges) Regulations 1982 (
Regulations)
, I have decided that you are liable to pay a
charge for the processing of your request.
My preliminary assessment of that charge is $53.37 calculated as follows:
Document production: 0.25 hours, at $31.89 per hour
$7.97
Decision-making (after deduction of 5 hours*): 2.27 hours, at $20
$45.40
per hour
TOTAL
$53.37
*The FOI Act provides that the first five hours of decision-making time are free of charge and this is reflected in
the calculation.
I am advised that the department holds 1 document, with 64 pages, relevant to your request.
Please note that the payment of the charge does not guarantee access to the document, in
full or in part.
Required Action
If you would like the department to continue processing your request, you must notify the
department in writing within 30 days of receiving this notice that you:
a) agree to pay the charge; or
b) wish to contend that the charge:
i.
has been wrongly assessed; or
ii.
should be reduced or not imposed; or
iii.
both.
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If not delivered return to PO Box 7820 Canberra BC ACT 2610
Alternatively, you may wish to withdraw your request.
If you do not provide a written response in accordance with one of options a) or b) above
within 30 days of receiving this notice, your request will be taken to have been withdrawn
under section 29(2) of the FOI Act.
Further information on options a) and b) are set out below.
Option a) – pay the charge
As the charge exceeds $25.00 but is less than $100.00, you must pay a deposit of $20.00
within 30 days of receiving this notice, if you wish for the department to continue processing
your FOI request. You may also elect to pay the charge in full at this point.
You may select from one of the following payment methods:
1. Online payment via Government EasyPay – follo
w this link and enter the relevant
details. You will need your FOI LEX reference number,
42296; or
2. Cheque made out to the Collector of Public Monies and posted to Freedom of
Information, Department of Human Services, PO Box 7820, Canberra BC, ACT 2601;
or
3. Money order made out to the Collector of Public Monies and posted to Freedom of
Information, Department of Human Services, PO Box 7820, Canberra BC, ACT 2601.
If you elect to pay the charge, please emai
l xxx.xxxxx.xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx to
advise us of your payment. Please quote reference number
LEX 42296 in this
correspondence.
Option b) – seek reduction or non-imposition of the charge
You may contend that the charge has been wrongly assessed, or should be reduced or not
imposed. Section 29(5) of the FOI Act provides that, in deciding whether to reduce or not to
impose a charge, the decision-maker must take into account any relevant reasons, including
whether payment of the charge, or part of it, would cause you financial hardship, and
whether the giving of access to the documents is in the general public interest or in the
interest of a substantial section of the public.
If you wish to contend that the charge has been wrongly assessed or should be reduced or
not imposed, please set out your reasons and the evidence in support of your reasons as
clearly as possible. If you believe that payment of the charge would cause you financial
hardship, please provide sufficient details of your financial circumstances to enable the
decision-maker to make a well-informed decision in this regard.
Time limits for processing your request
Section 31 of the FOI Act provides that where a notice is sent to an applicant regarding the
payment of a charge in respect of a request, the time limit for processing the request is
suspended from the date the notice is received until either:
a) the day following the payment of the charge (in full or the required deposit); or
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If not delivered return to PO Box 7820 Canberra BC ACT 2610
b) if applicable, the day following the notification to the applicant of a decision not to
impose the charge.
Address for correspondence
Please send all correspondence regarding your FOI request to me at the following address:
Freedom of Information Team
Department of Human Services
PO Box 7820
CANBERRA ACT 2601
Or by email
to xxx.xxxxx.xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx. Publication of information in the FOI disclosure log
Information released under the FOI Act may be published in a disclosure log on the
department’s website. Section 11C of the FOI Act requires this publication, subject to certain
exceptions, including where publication of personal, business, professional or commercial
information would be unreasonable.
Further assistance
If you have any questions please emai
l xxx.xxxxx.xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx Kind regards
Molly
Authorised FOI Decision Maker
Freedom of Information Team
Employment Law and Freedom of Information Branch | Legal Services Division
Department of Human Services
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