The Victoria Department of Health’s Contact tracing for Sexually Transmissible Infections – Information for clinicians document states that contact tracing is a voluntary process. The healthcare provider who makes a HIV diagnosis must explain the contact tracing process, help identify partners to be contacted, and offer both a healthcare provider-initiated partner notification or patient-initiated partner notification.
Sometimes, however, patients or medical practitioners may find it difficult, or may be unable, to advise the partner(s) and may request assistance, after which the matter will be referred to a partner notification officer (PNO).
A PNO will then contact partner(s) discreetly to inform them of the diagnosis and recommend medical care as needed, including testing and treatment. Unlike other jurisdictions, there are no specific powers to undertake contact tracing in the Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 (Vic), aside from provisions in relation to COVID-19, which apply only when a pandemic has been declared.
