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FACT SHEET Public Health Amendment (Cervical Screening) Bill 2009 The Public Health Amendment (Cervical Screening) Bill 2009 (the Bill) amends the Public Health Act 1971 (the Act). In particular, it refines the provisions of Part 7 of the Act relating to a register maintained by the Director of Public Health to assist in the screening, care and prevention of cervical cancer. The Bill changes the name of the Register from the Cervical Cytology Register to the Cervical Screening Register, in recognition of the fact that the register records information that is of a broader nature than cytology information. The Bill provides a non-exhaustive list of the type of information that may be stored by the cervical screening register. It also provides a list of individuals and bodies with which information contained on the register may commonly be shared. The list includes a person's medical professional, a laboratory engaged to test a sample taken from a person, the National HPV Vaccination Program Register, a corresponding register of the Australian Government or another State or Territory and Medicare Australia. The Bill clarifies the purposes for which information contained on the register may be shared with those parties. It ensures that the purposes for which information is shared are consistent with functions imposed upon the register by the National Cervical Cancer Screening Program. It also ensures that immunisation information and cervical screening information can be cross referenced to assess the success of national immunisation and prevention strategies. The Bill maintains restrictions on sharing information contained in the register other than for a purpose provided by the Act or with the consent of the person whose information is to be shared. Page 1 of 1