Assigning healthcare identifiers
9 Assigning healthcare identifiers
The service operator is authorised to assign a number (a healthcare identifier) to uniquely identify:
a healthcare provider to whom section 9A or 9BA applies; or
a healthcare recipient.
A national registration authority is authorised to assign a number (a healthcare identifier) to uniquely identify a healthcare provider, if:
the healthcare provider is an individual who is a member of a particular health profession; and
the national registration authority is responsible under a law for registering members of that health profession.
The types of healthcare identifiers include:
an identifier that is assigned to an individual healthcare provider; and
an identifier that is assigned to a healthcare provider organisation; and
an identifier that is assigned to a healthcare support service provider; and
an identifier that is assigned to a healthcare recipient.
A sole practitioner may be assigned:
a healthcare identifier of the type mentioned in paragraph (3)(a); and
a different healthcare identifier of the type mentioned in paragraph (3)(b).
In exercising a power under subsection (1), the service operator is not required to consider whether a healthcare provider or healthcare recipient agrees to having a healthcare identifier assigned to the healthcare provider or healthcare recipient.
A healthcare identifier of a healthcare recipient or of an individual healthcare provider is a government related identifier for the purposes of the Privacy Act 1988.
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