133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T+64 4 496 2000
14 December 2021
Tom Barraclough
By email: [FYI request #17334 email]
Ref:
H202114870
Tēnā koe Tom
Response to your request for official information
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) to the Ministry of
Health (the Ministry) on 25 October 2021 for:
(1) any official information used by contact tracers, or given to contact tracers, to perform
contact tracing according to a consistent process.
(2) Please also provide any training materials used to train contact tracers.
(3) Please provide any templates, decision trees, guidelines, or similar documents that
il ustrate a rough process followed by contact tracers in conducting contact tracing.
On 15 November 2021, the Ministry contacted you to advise that your request was for a very
large volume of information and as currently worded may be refused under section 18(f) of the
Act as the information sought cannot be made available without substantial collation and
research. As such you refined your request to the following:
(1) any official information used by contact tracers, or given to contact tracers, to perform
contact tracing according to a consistent process current to the last fortnight.
(2) Please also provide any training materials used to train call centre contact tracers
current to the last fortnight.
(3) Please provide any templates, decision trees, guidelines, or similar documents that
il ustrate a rough process followed by contact tracers in conducting contact tracing.
Please note that there remains a large amount of information in scope of your request.
Therefore, we have interpreted your request as for information regarding contact tracing
procedures and guidelines, which wil provide you with an overview of the contact tracing
process.
Information within scope of your request is itemised in Appendix 1 of this letter and copies of the
documents are enclosed. The table in Appendix 1 outlines the grounds under which I have
decided to withhold information. Where information is withheld, this is noted in the document
itself.
I trust this information fulfils your request. Under section 28(3) of the Act, you have the right to
ask the Ombudsman to review any decisions made under this request. The Ombudsman may
be contacted by email at:
[email address] or by calling 0800 802 602.
Please note that this response, with your personal details removed, may be published on the
Ministry website at:
www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry/information-releases/responses-official-
information-act-requests.
Nāku noa, nā
Chrystal O’Connor
Acting Group Manager, COVID-19 Contact Tracing
COVID-19 Health System Response
Page 2 of 3
Appendix 1: Documents for release
#
Date
Title
Decision on release
1
N/A
COVID Welfare – Call 4 Script
Released in full.
2
August 2021
National Investigation and Tracing
Released with some
Centre | Standard Operating
information withheld under
Procedures | Contact Tracing
section 9(2)(a) of the Act, to
Operations – Call 3 Process | Version protect the privacy of natural
1.8
persons.
3
November 2021 National Contact Tracing Service
Released in full.
Training Manual: Disease Contact
4
4 November
National Investigation and Tracing
Released with some
2021
Centre | Standard Operating
information withheld under
Procedures | Contact Tracing
section 9(2)(a) of the Act.
Operations – Daily Follow-Up of
Close Contact Processes | Version 1
5
15 November
POL-002 Guidance on community
Released in full.
2021
contact categories and actions
version 4.1
6
29 November
R6 Community Close Contact –
2021
Vaccinated/Non, Partially Vaccinated
V2.1
Page 3 of 3