Interdepartmental agreements

Queensland Corrective Services

The Information sharing agreement between Queensland Health and Corrective Services - Disclosure of confidential information (PDF 568 kB) took effect on 20 October 2023.

It sets out how Queensland Health and Queensland Corrective Services (QCS) work together for shared clients.

Shared clients are people receiving Queensland Health services while they are detained in a QCS correctional facility.

The agreement is intended to facilitate the sharing of relevant confidential information between Queensland Health and QCS to enable and ensure the:

• timely delivery of quality health services to shared clients
• safe, secure and effective supervision and management of shared clients
• safety of all persons within corrective services facilities.

The agreement is supported and governed by our Operating Guidelines for the information sharing agreement between Queensland Health and Queensland Corrective Services (PDF 670 kB).

The guidelines apply to all Queensland Health and QCS employees and set out:

• guiding principles for information sharing
• the roles of Queensland Health and QCS
• who can share information
• when and what information can be shared
• guidance for seeking consent
• governance and review processes.

Parole Board Queensland

The Confidential information disclosure agreement with Parole Board Queensland (PDF 661 kB) took effect in May 2020.

The agreement allows the disclosure of relevant confidential information by Queensland Health to the Parole Board Queensland (the Board) to enable the Board to fulfil its statutory functions.

Informed decision making by the Board supports community safety and the reintegration of people who have been in custody back into the community.

The agreement is supported and governed by our Confidential information disclosure between Queensland Health and the Parole Board Queensland – Operating guidelines (PDF 1693 kB). The guidelines apply to all Queensland Health employees and the Board and set out:

• who can share or disclose information
• how, when and what information can be disclosed
• the framework for managing information sharing
• requirements for documentation and record keeping
• governance and review processes.

Queensland Police Service

The Mental health collaboration – Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Queensland Police Service (PDF 257 kB) was made in June 2017.

The MoU acknowledges that Queensland Health and the Queensland Police Service often provide services to the same people.

It sets out how Queensland Health and the Queensland Police Service will work collaboratively and cooperatively when providing services to people:

• with a mental illness
• who are consumers of Queensland mental health services
• who are vulnerable and are at risk of harm.

The MoU applies to the disclosure of relevant confidential information between Queensland Health staff and the Queensland Police Service for the purposes of:

• responding to mental health incidents and situations involving vulnerable persons
• proactive collaboration to develop intervention strategies which support coordinated care for consumers of mental health services.

Department of Justice and Attorney-General

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Justice and Attorney-General (PDF 642 kB) took effect in 2011.

It sets out how Queensland Health and the Department of Justice and Attorney-General work together to provide the Queensland Health Court Liaison Service to the Queensland Magistrates Court and share information about shared clients.

Learn more about what the Queensland Health Court Liaison Service does

Interagency transport agreement

The Queensland interagency agreement for safe transport of people accessing mental health assessment, treatment and care (PDF 587 kB) took effect in 2019.

This agreement supports the safe transport of people with a suspected or known mental illness, including (but not limited to) people under the Mental Health Act 2016 and the Public Health Act 2005.

This agreement:

• defines the statewide collaborative approach to the safe transport of people who require, or may require, mental health assessment, treatment or care
• details the legislative framework under which people can be transported
• clarifies the roles and responsibilities of each agency involved
• provides a framework to guide the development of local agreements.

Interstate agreements

Interstate agreements are made to support the continuous provision of treatment and care for people with a mental illness who are transferred into or out of Queensland. Agreements can set out:

• how we apply interstate mental health laws in certain situations
• how we coordinate interstate transfers and transport
• the sharing of patient health information between interstate agencies.

View the interstate agreements for patient transport and transfers or learn more about patient transport and absence of leave.