Request for documents related to the 2018 review of the position statement on breast density and screening
Dear Department of Health,
The Standing Committee for Screening is reviewing the document 'Position Statement on Breast Density and Screening 2016'. It plans to complete its review in 2018. It has set up a working party and has a 3rd party consultancy group conducting a literature review on its behalf.
I request the following documents:
1. All minutes of all Working Party meetings held thus far.
2. The most recent draft of the Literature review provided to the working party by the consultancy group.
Yours faithfully,
Michael Shephard
Attention: Michael Shephard
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST – NOTIFICATION OF RECEIPT
I am writing to notify you that the Department of Health (Department) has received your request (in your below email) for access to documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act).
The Department will take all reasonable steps to notify you of a decision no later than 30 calendar days after the date your request was received. You will be contacted where a charge is applied for processing your request or if we need to consult a third party.
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Regards
FOI Unit
Legal Advice & Legislation Branch
Legal & Assurance Division
Australian Government Department of Health
T: (02) 6289 1666 | E: [Health request email]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to elders both past and present.
Dear Mr Shephard,
Thank you for your request to the Department of Health (Department) of 6
April 2018, seeking access under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI
Act) to:
‘1. All minutes of all Working Party meetings held thus far.
2. The most recent draft of the Literature review provided to the working
party by the consultancy group.’
Preliminary searches undertaken indicate that the Department does not
appear to hold any documents within the scope of your request.
At this time, the Standing Committee on Screening has not initiated a
review of the 2016 BreastScreen Australia Position Statement on Breast
Density and Screening. The Department is currently overseeing a review of
the latest evidence on breast density. If the evidence supports a case for
change to the Position Statement, endorsement would be sought from the
Standing Committee on Screening who advise the Australian Health
Ministers' Advisory Council on national population screening activities
changes, Cancer Australia, Cancer Council Australia and relevant colleges.
Next steps
On that basis, please confirm if you would like the Department’s FOI unit
to make a formal FOI decision that we hold no documents, or alternatively
please confirm if you would like to withdraw your request.
If the FOI unit does not hear from you by COB Wednesday, 2 May 2018
indicating your preferred option, we will consider your request withdrawn.
Please do not hesitate to contact the FOI unit on (02) 6289 1666 or via
email at [1][email address] if you would like to discuss further.
Kind regards
FOI Team
Legal Advice & Legislation Branch
Legal & Assurance Division
Australian Government Department of Health
T: (02) 6289 1666 | E: [2][Health request email]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health acknowledges the traditional owners of country
throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and
community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to elders
both past and present.
Dear FOI,
I know that there is a working party and that it has met. There will, therefore, be minutes. Please ask them directly, as your 'preliminary searches' have not proved fruitful.
A reasonable and cooperative person would assume that 'Request for documents related to the 2018 review of the position statement on breast density and screening' would include documents related to the literature review that must first be conducted - either as a separate exercise or as the first phase of the actual review. The fact that I also asked for the most recent draft of the literature review in the same FOI request is evidence that this was always my requirement.
Two questions:
1. Are you prepared to ask for the minutes of the working party managing the literature review under my original request or must I reword and resubmit and wait another 30 days (which would appear somewhat Kafkaesque under the circumstances)?
and
2. Are you saying that a draft literature review has not yet been received from the consultant by the Department or that you had a look for one and couldn't find any?
Yours sincerely,
Michael Shephard
Attention: Michael Shephard
Please see attached correspondence in relation to your FOI request to the
Department of Health.
Kind regards
FOI Unit
[1]cid:image002.png@01D152AA.D704F7C0
Legal Advice & Legislation Branch
Legal & Assurance Division
Australian Government Department of Health
T: (02) 6289 1666 | E: [2][Health request email]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health acknowledges the traditional owners of country
throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and
community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to elders
both past and present.