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Infrastructure Sub-committee

The Infrastructure Sub-committee has been disestablished. This page contains historical details of the sub-committee.
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Members

The members of the Infrastructure Sub-committee included the following HISAC members:
  • Paul Cressey (Chair)
  • Chai Chuah
  • Tony Cooke
  • Dr. Tim Gardner
  • Helmut Modlik
  • Chief Advisor, Health Information Strategy & Policy, Ministry of Health (ex officio)

The Infrastructure Sub-committee also included the following co-opted member:
  • Laurence Millar, Deputy Commissioner, Information & Communication Technologies Branch, State Services Commission

Role

The Infrastructure Sub-committee’s role, under delegation from HISAC, was set out in paragraph six of HISAC’s previous Terms of Reference (provided below) and included:
  • determining connectivity standards pertaining to health and disability sector information and communications technology (ICT), along with standards regarding the use of health information, exchange of health information, security and privacy
  • specifying, agreeing and maintaining protocols for privacy and security over ICT in the health and disability sector
  • overseeing and maintaining compliance with health and disability sector ICT standards, codes of practice and protocols relating to the electronic exchange of health information and the operation of the Health Network (a secure, private communications infrastructure using Internet technology to facilitate the secure exchange of health information between healthcare providers).
  • accreditation and oversight of management of vendors of network and certification services that supply or wish to supply services to the health and disability sector
  • determining the rules for systems applications made available on the health and disability sector ICT infrastructure, including accreditation of ICT application providers where appropriate
  • authority to approve and revoke access to the Health Network by organisations in, and ICT suppliers to, the health and disability sector
  • communicating about and promotion of the Health Network domestically and internationally
  • monitoring the ongoing use of the Health Network and advising on rules around applications and processes
  • considering, investigating and recommending future enhancements, direction and development of the Health Network
  • considering the report on the Telehealth strategy
  • initiating Health Network audits as required
  • providing HISAC with written reports on progress and any impediments to progress
  • any other tasks as determined by HISAC.

View the previous Terms of reference for HISAC in Word and PDF below:

Work programme

The Infrastructure Sub-committee’s responsibilities and work programme included the work of the Health Network Governance Board, which acted as the governance body for a Health Network and a separate secure messaging system. Both systems enable secure communications between general practitioners, hospital clinicians and national systems, such as the National Health Index (NHI).

The Infrastructure Sub-committe also worked to ensure:
  • the establishment of a Health Network Technical Working Group to provide the sub-committee with advice on technical matters
  • the development of branding and a communications and promotions strategy for the Health Network
  • the smooth transfer of the management and operation of Health Network registration services from the Ministry of Health to the HISAC Office
  • a review of the registration processes for access to the Health Network
  • the development of guidelines and minimum standards for the use of individual and organisational digital certifications
  • a review of the Health Network Code of Practice and the network’s security policies and guides
  • an evaluation of the National DHB Network proposal for Virtual Private Network (VPN) service providers.

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Page last updated: 19 May 2009