Storage and access to information for carers and disability claimants and recipients 008-07060000

The MIFE provides a single place on a customer’s file to store all prescribed documents about:

• their disability and work capacity
• medical documentation of the care receiver for those on CP, and
• any information of a sensitive nature. The eMIFE is to be established as soon as any medical or sensitive documents are received. All of the person's medical or sensitive evidence must be scanned and stored in the eMIFE

Carers will often be providing care for customers on Disability Support Pension (DSP). The customers DSP record will contain a MIFE and the carer’s record will have a second MIFE with the care receiver's details.

Medical and sensitive information is stored and scanned in a person's MIFE and the electronic MIFE (eMIFE). A variety of  medical and sensitive information can be scanned and stored on the eMIFE.

Digital medical forms such as the Centrelink Medical Certificate form (SU415) are automatically attached to the customer’s record when they are successfully submitted and are accessible in the eMIFE.

When the customer is referred for an ESAt or JCA, Service Officers must check that all relevant information has been scanned from the historical MIFE and attached to the person's file, prior to making the appointment. If historical information is required, forward a request to the Records Management Unit (RMU) to scan the required medical or sensitive information.

The Assessor is then able to access the relevant information via the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations using Employment Services System (ESS) as part of the assessment process. MIFE information is accessible after an appointment has been booked in the Online Diary. Information of a sensitive nature is scanned and attached to the eMIFE. It may be available to a Government-contracted doctor (GCD) conducting a Disability Medical Assessment (DMA).

The MIFE should be removed from the file for the purposes of independent audits.

Medical or sensitive information to be scanned and stored on the eMIFE can include (but is not limited to):

• any of the following reports:
• DSP Medical Assessment Recommendations (SA479)
• Medical reports, treating doctors reports, health professional assessments, etc. relating to Carer Allowance and/or Carer Payment (not including claim forms)
• Job Capacity Assessment (JCA) report
• all Medical Certificates (SU415)
• Consent to disclose medical information form (SA472)
• Claim for Disability Support Pension (SA466). Note: only the 'Medical Details' section must be placed in the MIFE
• Verification of terminal illness form (SA495)
• any of the following review forms:
• Medical Report Disability Support Pension Review (SA012R)
• Carer Payment and Carer Allowance medical review forms
• the following Unreasonable to Live at Home forms:
• SY015 - Youth Allowance Unreasonable to Live at Home Statement by Young person
• SY016 - Youth Allowance Unreasonable to Live at Home Statement by Parent(s) or Guardian(s)
• SY017 - Youth Allowance Unreasonable to Live at Home Statement by Independent Third party
• Specialist Assessor reports from Assessment Services and social workers
• other medical or sensitive reports, such as those from:
• pathologists
• radiologists
• other health professionals
• any other information considered to be of a sensitive nature

When medical/sensitive documents are lodged with Services Australia and they are determined to be suitable for scanning, they are scanned at the place of lodgement.

Digital medical forms such as the Centrelink Medical Certificate form (SU415) are automatically attached to the claimant or recipient's record when they are successfully submitted, and are accessible in the eMIFE.

Services Australia staff who access medical information as part of their duties can access the eMIFE at all times. Information:

• can be accessed via the Services Australia systems and the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations using Employment Services System (ESS)
• is clearly labelled with a workflow warning preventing inappropriate or accidental access to medical information

Historic paper copies of the MIFE and the Sensitive Information Envelope (SIE) will continue to be stored at the local Records Management Unit (RMU) until back scanning of the information has occurred. If historical information is required, forward a request to RMU.