Dear JS,

 

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST – NOTIFICATION OF RECEIPT AND REQUEST FOR
AN EXTENSION OF TIME

 

Acknowledgement of receipt

 

I am writing to notify you that the Department of Health (department)
received your FOI request on 10 December 2023 for access to the following
documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) (FOI Act):

 

The total number of active PBS pharmacies on the 1st day of each month for
the calendar year of 2023.

 

Request for 14 day extension

 

The FOI Act requires the department to provide you with an access decision
by 9 January 2024 (30 days).

 

Many areas of the department, including the FOI Section, will be closed
from 23 December 2023 to 2 January 2024.

 

To ensure the department has sufficient time to process your request and
provide access to all relevant documents, we are seeking your agreement to
extend the period for completing your FOI request by 14 days under section
15AA of the FOI Act). If you agree to this extension, the department would
be required to provide you with an access decision by 23 January 2024.

 

If you agree to this extension, could let us know by return email to
[1][Health request email].

 

FOI processing charge

 

The department may impose a charge for the work involved in providing
access to documents. The amount of the charge depends on how many
documents are relevant to your FOI request and the amount of work involved
in processing your request.

 

If the department decides to impose a charge for this FOI request, we will
notify you in writing and you will have an opportunity to ask for the
charge to be reduced or waived.

 

Draft and duplicate documents

 

The department considers draft and duplicate documents are generally
irrelevant to FOI requests under section 22 of the FOI Act.

 

Unless you advise us otherwise, the department will not process draft and
duplicate documents when processing your FOI request.

 

Departmental staff names and contact details

 

Names and other personal information about employees may also be subject
to protection under the Privacy Act 1988.

 

In addition, the department considers the names and contact details of
junior Commonwealth employee (below Senior Executive Service level) and
the mobile telephone numbers of all employees are generally irrelevant
under section 22 of the FOI Act.

 

Unless you advise us otherwise, those details will be excluded from any
documents provided to you in response to your FOI request.

 

Contact

 

You can contact the FOI Unit via email at [2][email address], should you
have any questions.

 

Kind regards,

 

Riley

FOI Support Officer – Freedom of Information Section

Legal Advice and Legislation Branch

Legal and Assurance Division

Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [email address]

PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia

The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges First Nations peoples
as the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia, and their
continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to
them and their cultures, and to all Elders both past and present.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: JS [3][FOI #10959 email]
Sent: Sunday, 10 December 2023 8:26 PM
To: FOI [4][email address]
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Number of pharmacies (based on
PBS pharmacy approval numbers) by month.

 

REMINDER: Think before you click! This email originated from outside our
organisation. Only click links or open attachments if you recognise the
sender and know the content is safe.

Dear Department of Health,

 

Can you please provide monthly figures for the number of active PBS
pharmacies in Australia for each month of 2023.

 

The Department of Health should hold this data as it allocates PBS
pharmacy approval numbers to pharmacies. To simplify this request I am
only requesting 12-figures, with the total number of PBS pharmacies on the
1st day of each month for the calendar year.

 

E.G:

1 January 2023 – X pharmacies

1 February 2023 – Y pharmacies

...

1 December – Z pharmacies

 

Yours faithfully,

 

JS

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[5][FOI #10959 email]

 

Is [6][Health request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information
requests to Department of Health? If so, please contact us using this
form:

[7]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...

 

This request has been made by an individual using Right to Know. This
message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet.
More information on how Right to Know works can be found at:

[8]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...

 

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will
be delayed.

 

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

 

 

show quoted sections

Dear JS,

 

Freedom of Information Request 4871 – Seeking Clarification of Scope

I refer to your request received by the Department of Health and Aged Care
(the department) on 10 December 2023 for access to documents under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act). You have requested access to:

 

The total number of active PBS pharmacies on the 1st day of each month for
the calendar year of 2023.

The department would like to clarify the above scope of your request.

Your request refers to ‘active’ PBS pharmacies. The department would like
to confirm whether you are seeking access to all pharmacies that hold an
approval under s90 of the National Health Act 1953, or approved pharmacies
that are actively trading?

 

You have requested the date for the data as the first day of each month.
The department does not capture data from the first day of the month.
However, the department does capture data from the last day of each month.

 

Would you be agreeable to revise the scope of the request to the last day
of each month for the calendar year of 2023?

 

I would appreciate your response by COB Wednesday 20 December 2023.

 

Kind Regards,

 

FOI Case Officer – Freedom of Information Section

Legal Advice and Legislation

Please note I work Part time Mon-Thurs

Legal and Assurance Division | Corporate Operations Group

Australian Government, Department of Health and Aged Care

T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [1][email address]

PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia

The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges the traditional owners
of country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to
elders both past and present

 

 

"Important: This transmission is intended only for the use of the
addressee and may contain confidential or legally privileged information. 
If you are not the intended recipient, you are notified that any use or
dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited.  If you
receive this transmission in error please notify the author immediately
and delete all copies of this transmission."

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]

Dear JS

I refer to the correspondence below.

Can you please provide a response to the below.

If you do not provide a response by Thursday, 11 January 2024 the
department will process your request as outlined below noting the
department does not hold the data for the first day of each month.

Regards

 

Victoria

Freedom of Information Section

Legal Advice & Legislation Branch
Legal and Assurance Division | Corporate Operations Group

Australian Government Department of Health

 

 

 

From: FOI <[email address]>
Sent: Tuesday, 19 December 2023 12:29 PM
To: [FOI #10959 email]
Subject: Freedom Of Information Request 4871 - Seeking clarification of
scope COB 20 December 2023 [SEC=OFFICIAL]

 

Dear JS,

 

Freedom of Information Request 4871 – Seeking Clarification of Scope

I refer to your request received by the Department of Health and Aged Care
(the department) on 10 December 2023 for access to documents under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act). You have requested access to:

 

The total number of active PBS pharmacies on the 1st day of each month for
the calendar year of 2023.

The department would like to clarify the above scope of your request.

Your request refers to ‘active’ PBS pharmacies. The department would like
to confirm whether you are seeking access to all pharmacies that hold an
approval under s90 of the National Health Act 1953, or approved pharmacies
that are actively trading?

 

You have requested the date for the data as the first day of each month.
The department does not capture data from the first day of the month.
However, the department does capture data from the last day of each month.

 

Would you be agreeable to revise the scope of the request to the last day
of each month for the calendar year of 2023?

 

I would appreciate your response by COB Wednesday 20 December 2023.

 

Kind Regards,

 

FOI Case Officer – Freedom of Information Section

Legal Advice and Legislation

Please note I work Part time Mon-Thurs

Legal and Assurance Division | Corporate Operations Group

Australian Government, Department of Health and Aged Care

T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [1][email address]

PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia

The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges the traditional owners
of country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to
elders both past and present

 

 

"Important: This transmission is intended only for the use of the
addressee and may contain confidential or legally privileged information. 
If you are not the intended recipient, you are notified that any use or
dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited.  If you
receive this transmission in error please notify the author immediately
and delete all copies of this transmission."

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]

Good afternoon JS,

 

I refer to your request to the Department of Health and Aged Care (the
department) of 10 December 2023 seeking access to the following under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) (FOI Act):

 

              The total number of active PBS pharmacies on the last day of
each month for the calendar year of 2023.

 

 

The statutory due date for your request is currently 23 January 2024.

 

Request for extension of time

 

Section 15AA of the FOI Act permits the department to extend the statutory
processing timeframe, with your agreement, for a period of up to 30
calendar days.

 

To ensure that department has undertaken all reasonable steps to identify
all documents relevant to your request, and for the decision maker to make
a well-balanced decision on access to any such documents identified, the
department is seeking your agreement to a short extension of 6 calendar
days.

 

Your request will be referred to the decision maker in the next few days
and we may require a few additional days to ensure necessary processing
steps are completed.

 

If you agree to this extension, the statutory due date will then be Monday
29 January 2024. The department will, however, continue to process your
request as quickly as possible.

 

It would assist if you could please advise by COB 18 January 2024 if you
agree to this extension of time. If we do not hear from you by this date
or if you do not agree to the extension, the department may consider
seeking an extension of time from the Office of the Australian Information
Commissioner (OAIC) under section 15AB of the FOI Act.

 

We thank you for your ongoing patience and cooperation as we continue to
process your request.

 

If you have any questions regarding any of the matters discussed in this
email, please do not hesitate to contact the FOI Section at
[1][email address].

 

Kind Regards,

 

Jessica

FOI Case Officer – Freedom of Information Section

Legal Advice and Legislation

Please note I work Part time Mon-Thurs

Legal and Assurance Division | Corporate Operations Group

Australian Government, Department of Health and Aged Care

T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [2][email address]

PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia

The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges the traditional owners
of country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to
elders both past and present

 

 

 

 

"Important: This transmission is intended only for the use of the
addressee and may contain confidential or legally privileged information. 
If you are not the intended recipient, you are notified that any use or
dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited.  If you
receive this transmission in error please notify the author immediately
and delete all copies of this transmission."

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. mailto:[email address]

Dear JS,

We refer to your FOI request received on 10 December 2023.

Please find attached a decision on access together with the documents
referred to in that decision.

If you have any queries in relation to this decision, please contact the
FOI Section on the details below.

 

Kind Regards,

 

FOI Case Officer – Freedom of Information Section

Legal Advice and Legislation

Please note I work Part time Mon-Thurs

Legal and Assurance Division | Corporate Operations Group

Australian Government, Department of Health and Aged Care

T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [1][email address]

PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia

The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges the traditional owners
of country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to
elders both past and present

 

 

"Important: This transmission is intended only for the use of the
addressee and may contain confidential or legally privileged information. 
If you are not the intended recipient, you are notified that any use or
dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited.  If you
receive this transmission in error please notify the author immediately
and delete all copies of this transmission."

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]