On January 1, 2012, Ontario hospitals became subject to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA).
FIPPA provides the public with a right of access to information held by hospitals. Under FIPPA, anyone can make a request for records that came into the custody and control of LHSC on or after January 1, 2007. Detailed information about FIPPA is available on the Privacy Commissioner of Ontario’s website and the Act is available on the Government of Ontario website.
Looking for your medical or personal health records?
Access to personal health information, such as your medical chart or diagnostic images, is not available under FIPPA. Visit our Health Records page to learn more about how to request your health records.
What records are included under FIPPA?
Examples of the types of records requested under the Act include contracts, security incident reports, video surveillance, emails, patient complaints and more. You can submit a Freedom of Information (FOI) request if you wish to:
- Access corporate or general records about the management or operations of the hospital
- Request your own (non-health) personal information held by LHSC
- Request a correction to your personal information
How to make a FOI request
Before you make a request, identify the type of record you need.
To help identify the records, you may wish to consult LHSC’s Directory of Records or our listing of Publicly Available Information where you will find Executive Contracts, Strategic Plans and other key LHSC documents that are already available online. If you are unsure or have questions, please contact the LHSC Privacy Office.
Once you know the types of records you need, please fill out the FOI Access Request Form and submit with the necessary fees and documentation.
You will receive a response to your request within 30 days, although in cases of large or complex requests, this time period may be extended.
In the event you are not satisfied with the decision made in answer to your FOI request, you have the right to appeal this decision to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario. The Commissioner has the authority to review all decisions under FIPPA.
Please contact us by telephone: 519-685-8500, extension: 32996 if you have any questions regarding FOI requests.
Fees
Your request must also include a $5.00 application fee payable to LHSC either by cheque or money order. Please do not send cash. Credit card payment is accepted. To process, please contact the LHSC’s Business Office by telephone: 519-685-8500, extension 33146. The Business Office will process your credit card payment and provide you with a Reference Number to include on your FOI Access Request Form.
Send your completed form and application fee (or the Reference Number from the Business Office) by mail to the following address:
Freedom of Information (FOI) Office
London Health Sciences Centre
746 Baseline Rd, Suite 300
London, ON N6C 5Z2
or by Email: privacy@lhsc.on.ca.
If you are requesting copies of your personal information, you will also need to submit a photocopy of government-issued identification.
If you are unable to fulfill any of the above requirements due to a disability, please contact LHSC’s Freedom Of Information Office directly to arrange for an accommodation.
Additional processing fees
In addition to the $5.00 application fee, FIPPA allows LHSC to recover costs for such items as record searches and photocopying. You will be notified if additional fees will apply for the processing of your request, and you may be asked to pay a deposit if the estimated processing costs exceed $100.00.
