Health Canada

Central Personal Information Banks

Health Unit Files
Description: This bank contains some or all of the following types of information: emergency treatment, return to work visits, examinations, counselling, troubled employee counselling, referral and audiogram reports. Persons seeking access to this bank must supply their full name, date of birth and location of the record sought.
Class of Individuals: Federal public servants.
Purpose: The purpose of this bank is to maintain records of all health unit consultations including emergency treatment, return to work visits, counselling and referrals, examinations and troubled employee referrals. The information is also used to perform occupational health monitoring.
Consistent Uses: Information may be used internally for program management purposes and for purposes of research, planning, evaluation, statistics and for internal audit purposes. Information also related to HWC PCE 701.
Retention and Disposal Standards: Retained for 30 years after last activity on file and then destroyed. Files which do not contain any occupational exposures, pre-placement, periodic, and/or fitness to work medical assessments are retained for 10 years and then destroyed.
RDA Number: 99/022
Related PR#: HCan HF14
TBS Registration: 005077
Bank Number: HCan PCE 703

Occupational Health Medical Records
Description: This bank contains some or all of the following types of information: medical, psychiatric, psychological and consultant's reports, findings and assessments, laboratory tests and reports, immunization records, x-ray reports and films, other specialized diagnostic procedure reports, and treatment and counselling reports. Workplace hazards and overexposure records may also be recorded. Persons seeking access to this information must supply their full name, date of birth and location of the record sought.
Class of Individuals: Federal public servants, former public servants, prospective public servants, and in some locations may include employees of federally regulated industries who have contracted with Workplace Health and Public Safety Programme.
Purpose: The purpose of this bank is to maintain occupational health records for federal public servants and prospective public servants including surveillance and maintenance of occupational and environmental health factors, pre-employment, periodic medical, mental health assessments, and counselling. The information is used to support fitness to work assessments, medical, mental health, and employment and pension decisions/entitlements.
Consistent Uses: Information may be used internally for program management purposes and for purposes of research, planning, evaluation, statistics and for internal audit purposes. Interpretations of evaluations may be shared, with consent, with other federal departments.
Retention and Disposal Standards: Retained for 30 years after last activity on file and then destroyed. Files which do not contain any occupational exposures, pre-placement, periodic, immunization records, and/or fitness to work medical assessments are retained for 10 years and then destroyed.
RDA Number: 99/022
Related PR#: HCan HF14
TBS Registration: 005087
Bank Number: HCan PCE 701

Public Service Health Medical Advisory Committee
Description: This bank contains some or all of the following types of information: applications, medical reports, medical examination findings, medical and psychological assessments, laboratory reports or X-rays. Persons seeking access to this information bank must supply their full name, date of birth and case file number.
Class of Individuals: Federal public servants.
Purpose: The purpose of this bank is to maintain a record of decisions/recommendations on contentious medical cases assessed by the Public Service Health Medical Advisory Committee.
Consistent Uses: Information may be used internally for program management purposes and for purposes of research, planning, evaluation, statistics and for internal audit purposes. Information in the bank is also used in response to legal actions and complaints to the Canadian Human Rights Commission about the outcomes of occupational health medical assessments and the response of the employing departments to accommodate a specific case. Information also related to HWC PCE 701.
Retention and Disposal Standards: Retained for 30 years after last activity on file and then destroyed. Files which do not contain any occupational exposures, pre-placement, periodic, and/or fitness to work medical assessments are retained for 10 years and then destroyed.
RDA Number: 99/022
Related PR#: HCan HF14
TBS Registration: 005086
Bank Number: HCan PCE 702