In 1985 the former Department of Health decided to implement a Unique Patient Identifier (UPI) which would uniquely identify all patients of Northern Territory hospitals and community health services. A report outlining the advantages of the system was prepared at the time. The report recommended a strategy for implementation. (See Appendix A)
The strategy was not implemented immediately. Over the period since April 1985 certain steps have been taken towards the achievement of the UPI. However, at this point (over four years after the original decision) the UPI is still a goal that will require a considerable effort to achieve. In addition, certain elements of the original strategy have changed. (A particularly important set of decisions are outlined in the undated document
at Appendix B.)
The decision to implement a UPI was reaffirmed at several meetings in 1988 and early 1989. However, there still appears to be varying levels of commitment to the proposal in different sections of the Department.