Disclosure of quality assurance committee membership: Allatt & ACT Government Health Directorate (Administrative Review) [2012] ACAT 67 (28 September 2012)

Abstract

The applicant, Mr Craig Allatt, was married to Ms Emily Vermeulen. Nine days after the birth of their child in April 2008, Ms Vermeulen presented to Mental Health ACT with the condition puerperal psychosis. Ms Vermeulen remained under psychiatric care of the Woden Mental Health Team until January 2009 when, tragically, she died. The clinical treatment of Ms Vermeulen was reviewed by a Mental Health Clinical Review Committee (CRC) in late January 2009. The applicant made a FOI request seeking access to the CRC's terms of reference; procedures, results of the review; submissions made to the CRC, the CRC's notes, working papers, and any other documents relating to Ms Vermeulen's treatment; and the names of the CRC members who reviewed Ms Vermeulen's treatment. The release of a number of documents, including the CRC membership, was refused under this request, based on the exemptions set out in ss38, 40 and 42 of the 'Freedom of Information Act' 1989 (ACT) (FOI Act).