Health Services Act 1997

The following money and personal effects are taken to be the property of a public health organisation—

all money and personal effects (being choses in possession) that are—

left in its custody by any patient who dies in one of its hospitals or health institutions, and

not claimed by the person lawfully entitled to them within a period of 12 months after the patient’s death, and

all money and personal effects (being choses in possession) that are—

left in its custody by any patient discharged from one of its hospitals or health institutions, and

not claimed by the patient or other person lawfully entitled to them within a period of 12 months after the date of discharge.

All such money, and the proceeds of the realisation of any such personal effects, are to form a distinct and separate fund of the public health organisation to be called a Samaritan Fund.

A Samaritan Fund is to be managed and disposed of in such manner as may be prescribed by the regulations for the benefit of patients or outgoing patients who are needy.

A local health district or statutory health corporation may establish a separate fund for each hospital or health institution, or a single fund for all public hospitals or health institutions, under its control.

A reference in this section to a public health organisation includes a reference to the Crown in relation to any public hospital controlled by the Crown (including the Minister or the Health Administration Corporation).