Commentary on Sections

Section 1: Control of information of a relevant person

Imposes a duty on the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to make regulations in connection with the processing of information held within the Health and Social Care sectors, where this is in the public interest.

Regulations made under this section may make provision for:-

Authorising or requiring the disclosure of prescribed health care information;

Authorising the disclosure of prescribed social care information; and

Creating offences punishable on summary conviction by a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.

Regulations made under this section must make provision requiring that the processing of confidential information may only be undertaken when it is approved by a committee.

The section further sets out definitions of terms used within the Act.