VOL and Department of Health

VOLand West Moreton District Health Service (Department of Health)
(1999 S0033, 11 April 2000)

The applicant sought access to his medical records held by the respondent.  The applicant suffered from a serious mental illness and had exhibited, during the previous 12 months, an episode of violent behaviour that had endangered a person's physical safety.

While the matter in issue appeared innocuous,  the Information Commissioner found, having regard to expert medical opinion provided by the respondent, that disclosure to the applicant of any part of his medical records could reasonably be expected to endanger a person's life or physical safety, and therefore that the matter in issue qualified for exemption under s.42(l)(c) of the FOI Act.