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Terms and Conditions
Please ensure you read the following terms and conditions before continuing:
The Outbreak Management System aims to support outbreak preparedness and facilitate timely notification and reporting of communicable disease outbreak information to North Eastern Public Health Unit.
The North Eastern Public Health Unit (NEPHU) is a department of Austin Health which is funded by the Victorian Government to deliver public health services in Melbourne's north eastern region including the management of a defined set of outbreaks of communicable disease.
Austin Health will endeavour to ensure that information and resources on the Outbreak Management System are as updated as possible. However, it remains the responsibility of the user to be familiar with current guidelines and recommendations regarding the management of communicable disease outbreaks, to act in accordance with their institutional and/or local protocols, where applicable, and to be compliant with any legislative requirements for responding to and reporting outbreaks.
In performing NEPHU's public health role, Austin Health collects, uses and stores personal and health information of individuals. Austin Health is committed to protecting the privacy of personal information which we collect and handle. You can read our full privacy statement here:
North Eastern Public Health Unit
Outbreak Management System Privacy Notice
The North Eastern Public Health Unit (NEPHU) is a department of Austin Health which is funded by the Victorian Government to deliver public health services in Melbourne's north eastern region including the management of outbreaks of communicable disease.
In performing NEPHU's public health role, Austin Health collects, uses and stores personal and health information of individuals.
Personal information is information that directly or indirectly identifies a person and includes name, address, date of birth, workplace or school, potential sources of exposures such as food history or other movements.
Health information is personal information about the physical, mental or psychological health or a disability of an individual, or the health services provided to them and includes medical and vaccination history, symptom onset, treatments and hospital or doctors visits.
How Austin Health keeps your information private
Austin Health endorses fair information handling practices and uses of information in compliance with its obligations under the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic) and the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic). Austin Health is committed to protecting the privacy of personal information which we collect and handle.
Austin Health is bound by Victorian laws, as well as other laws that impose specific obligations in regard to handling information. In Victoria, the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic) and the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) are the primary legislation that regulates the information handling of personal and health information. Austin Health will manage your information in accordance with the Information Privacy Principles and Health Privacy Principles that provide standards for information collection, storage, access, transmission, disclosure, use and disposal as prescribed within these Acts. Service providers must also comply with the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic) and the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) when collecting, storing and disclosing personal information.
We acknowledge that due to the nature of the services performed by us, some of the information we manage is particularly delicate and/or sensitive.
Collection of information
The Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 authorises NEPHU to collect specific information. In fulfilling NEPHU's public health role, Austin Health collects and stores personal and health information in relation to people who are cases or contacts of notifiable conditions and outbreaks from our service partners including primary and community health, public hospitals, mental health treatment providers, disability care providers, ambulance services, alcohol and drug treatment services, child care providers and aged care providers.
Information will be collected when a suspected or confirmed outbreak is notified to NEPHU, as per the requirements of the Department of Health. As the information is being requested by an authorized officer of the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008, facility staff are able to provide the requested information without risk of breaching other data privacy requirements.
We also collect some personal and health information for planning, funding, monitoring and evaluating our services and functions, but where practicable we remove identifying details from information used for these purposes.
Use of information
The information is collected under the authorisation of the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008, and is collected when an outbreak of a communicable disease has been reported to NEPHU. The information is used to assist with management of the outbreak, determine and treat the cause of the outbreaks and minimise ongoing transmission risks in the setting involved, such as an aged care or childcare setting.
The NEPHU team will use the information to assist the facility involved to implement measures to prevent further transmission and minimise risk to clients, residents, staff and visitors of a facility.
Who outside of Austin Health may receive information about you?
We share the stored information with:
- the Department of Health, the Victorian public health unit network, and service providers who provide clinical support and care to individuals impacted by communicable diseases; and
- authorised officers under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008.
Under section 57 of the Act, the Department of Health is authorised to share information with others, such as officers of local government (local council), to assist with investigations in protecting public health and preventing disease spread and further illness in the community. Identifying information is never released to anyone not directly involved in the investigation of the source of illness.
Privacy concerns and incidents
If you wish to report a specific privacy incident or if you believe Austin Health has breached your privacy through the collection, use or storage of your personal or health information, please contact us by email: feedback@austin.org.au or phone 03 9496 3566.
We may seek further information from you in relation to the privacy incident you report in order for us to investigate your concerns. If you do not provide us with information about the matter, this may limit our ability to assist you.
Access and correction
You can request access to, or correction of personal and health information held by Austin Health. For information on making an FOI application, please visit our Freedom of Information page or contact the Freedom of Information Officer:
- Freedom of Information Officer, Austin Health
- Phone: 03 9496 3103
- Email: foi@austin.org.au
If you have any questions or would like further information about outbreak management or the Outbreak Management System please email NEPHU at outbreaks.nephu@austin.org.au
By clicking 'I Agree' and continuing you are indicating that you have read, understood and agree to these terms and conditions.
Welcome to the North Eastern Public Health Unit's Outbreak Management System
The OMS is an online reporting tool that facilitates outbreak management practices in residential care facilities and other sensitive settings within the NEPHU catchment.
Please use the OMS to notify us of respiratory outbreaks, submit ongoing updates and request review at the end of an outbreak.
To report a new gastroenteritis outbreak, please call 1300 651 160 (24/7 afterhours service available).
The information collected is used to ensure sites have adequate support as well as facilitate preparedness for future outbreaks.