Singapore legislation
Section 21
Section 21
Use of confidential information
(1)
This section applies to a public officer, a public authority or an organisation appointed under section 19(1) or other person referred to in section 20(1), who or which receives information relating to an individual under section 20(1) (called confidential information), and any member or employee of that public authority, organisation or other person, as the case may be.
(2)
The use or disclosure of confidential information, without the written consent of the individual to whom the information relates, is authorised only if the purpose of the use or disclosure is to communicate or manage the confidential information as part of —
the funding, monitoring or evaluation (excluding the investigation into or resolution of complaints) of any health service, or of any benefit under a prescribed public scheme referred to in section 5(1)(b), provided or to be provided to Pioneers or Merdeka Generation Seniors;
the provision of indemnity cover for a Pioneer or Merdeka Generation Senior in respect of health services used or to be used by Pioneers or Merdeka Generation Seniors, as the case may be;
the administration and enforcement of this Act;
the prevention or management of a serious threat to public health or public safety; or
the development or implementation by the Government or a public authority of any public scheme involving benefits to Pioneers or Merdeka Generation Seniors.
(3)
However, subsection (2) does not authorise a public officer, a public authority, an organisation or other person referred to in section 20(1), or any member or employee of that public authority, organisation or person (as the case may be), to use or disclose the confidential information for the purpose of the Government, public authority, organisation or person —
in underwriting a contract of insurance that covers a healthcare provider referred to in section 16;
in determining whether to enter into a contract of insurance that covers such a healthcare provider (whether alone or as a member of a class);
in determining whether a contract of insurance covers such a healthcare provider in relation to a particular event; or
in employing a Pioneer or Merdeka Generation Senior.
(4)
Any person who contravenes subsection (2) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.