BC’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) provides the public with a right of access to records in the custody and control of PHSA.
What is a Freedom of Information Request?
A Freedom of Information (FOI) request is a written request for copies of “records” held by PHSA, including records that contain personal information about the individual making the FOI request.
What is a record?
FIPPA defines "records" as books, documents, maps, drawings, photographs, letters, vouchers, papers and any other thing on which information is recorded or stored by graphic, electronic, mechanical or other means, but does not include a computer program or any other mechanism that produces records.
How to Request Health Records?
If health records are sought and the care was provided by a PHSA program, the request should be directed to Health Information Management. If care was provided by BCEHS, the request should be directed to the BCEHS Patient Records Office.
How to make an FOI request at PHSA
If records are sought from a PHSA program or service or from BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS), an FOI request may be made in two ways:
- By completing the general Request for Access to Records form (PDF), or
- By sending a written request by mail to:
Manager, Information Access, Education & Intake
Information Access Office
Provincial Health Services Authority
200 - 1333 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC, V6H 4C1
Or by email to:
foi@phsa.ca
There is an application fee of $10 for an FOI request. Note there is no application fee for FOI requests that seek personal information records of the individual making the request. FOI requests that require an application fee will not be processed until the application fees are received.
Payments for application fees made by credit card can be submitted from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time) Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays, by calling 1-855-229-9800 and choosing option 1. All major credit cards are accepted. Payment for application fees may also be made by cheque by making the cheque payable to PHSA Information Access Office, quoting the file number, and mailing the cheque to:
Manager, Information Access, Education & Intake
Information Access Office
Provincial Health Services Authority
200 - 1333 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC, V6H 4C1
In accordance with section 75 of FIPPA, additional service fees may apply to an FOI request.
PHSA programs and services
The programs and services of PHSA include the following:
