What is FIPPA?
Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) is legislation that gives the public the right to request the records of public institutions, including hospitals as of Jan 1, 2012. The purpose of FIPPA is to provide access to information under the control of the hospital and to protect the privacy of individuals with respect to personal information about themselves within the hospital.
FIPPA applies to records that came into the custody or control of a hospital on or after January 1, 2007, unless the record is subject to exclusion under the Act. The Act provides individuals with the right to:
- Access their (non-health) personal information held by the hospital,
- Access general records about the management and operation of the hospital, and
- Correct their personal information.
Who can request information under FIPPA?
Anybody can make a request for information under FIPPA. This includes any individual or business representative. There are no restrictions placed on a requester’s citizenship or place of residence.
Is it always necessary to go through a formal process to access records?
The formal process is not always required. SSCHS provides some documents available to view online under the Public Reporting button, including:
- Annual Reports
- Auditors’ Reports to Members
- Expense Policies
- Patient Declaration of Values
- Multi-Sector Service Accountability Agreements
- Hospital Service Accountability Agreements
- Accreditation Survey Reports
- Executive Contracts
Others are available under the About Us button, including:
- Accessibility Plan
- Strategic Plan
- Mission, Vision and Values
How do I make a Freedom of Information request?
To initiate a request for general or personal information (also known as a Freedom of Information or FOI request) a person:
- Completes a Request for General or Personal Information form (see below).
- The request must include sufficient detail to ensure clarity of what is being requested.
- The request must be signed and dated by the requestor.
- Pays a $5.00 application fee, in the form of a cheque made payable to Services de santé de Chapleau Health Services.
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Submits the completed form and the application fee to:
Services de santé de Chapleau Health Services
6 Broomhead Road, Box 757
Chapleau, Ontario P0M 1K0
Attention: Privacy Officer
Request for General or Personal Information Form
Once received by SSCHS, requests are forwarded immediately to the Privacy Officer, in order to fulfill a 30 day requirement to complete the request, or as specified in the Act.
To ask questions about FOI requests or for additional information, contact the Privacy Officer by phone (705) 864-3053, at the internet website, or through email at privacy@sschs.ca.