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March 17, 2017 at 10:19 AM

*From the New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse*

The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) has advised that specialist sexual violence services will be exempt from collecting and providing individual client level data (ICLD) for at least 12 months.

This is to allow time for the Ministry to look at what needs to be in place to collect and securely store this information.

In an email to providers, MSD advised:

We are aware of concerns from providers delivering specialist sexual violence services about the Ministry’s intention to request providers to collect individual client level data (ICLD) from 1 July 2017.

As part of our on-going work with you to co-develop and implement new sexual violence services we will work with you to look at what needs to be in place to collect and securely store what we know is sensitive information.

We are also aware that there are specific and additional considerations that need to be worked through in respect to collecting this level of information from someone who is accessing a sexual violence service.

Providers of specialist sexual violence services will therefore be exempt from collecting and providing ICLD for at least 12 months to allow time for this further work to happen.

The Minister has asked for this exemption, and asked the Ministry to report back outlining how we propose to safely and securely collect ICLD from providers of specialist sexual violence services.

If there are any questions, or you would like further information, please email: CI_Sexual_Violence_Services@msd.govt.nz

Today's public meeting outside Parliament at 1pm is still proceeding.

Radio NZ's Nine to Noon programme continued their coverage of the issue, interviewing Brenda Pilott from ComVoice about the announcement today. Ms Pilott said she was pleased to see some response from MSD but this now needed to be extended to all services. She said she had not yet received a response to her letter to the Minister and Prime Minister and would be writing to them again.

Information on ICLD is available on the MSD website.

Background information

See these previous NZFVC news stories:

Concerns and public meeting on NGOs and provision of individual client level data

Privacy Commissioner surveying NGOs on requirement for individual client level data

ComVoices paper highlights issues with govt requiring individual client level data

MSD to require individual client level data from community agencies

Related information

Government continues work on integrated data and "social investment"

Research project investigates people’s views of data linkage