The privacy commissioner says the ball is now in government’s court regarding Bill 20, the controversial piece of legislation which allows government to merge the four health authorities into one.

Michael Harvey was overlooked by the health department during the approval process so he went public with his concerns. They’re putting that issue behind them and now focusing on improving the Bill.

Harvey says a lot of the items in the legislation could have been addressed quietly before its public release.

He thinks it should have more specific information on what’s envisioned and some guidelines and safeguards on how that information is going to be collected, used and disclosed as it relates to what he calls new ideas in the Bill: The social determinants of health, and the learning health system.

Harvey says there should be a provision for the minister to make regulations on those items.

He notes that the new health authority is going to have a lot of consolidated health information about all of us at its disposal.

.As the Act reads now, the minister has final say on pretty much everything the health authority does but Harvey would prefer that there be no political involvement regarding personal health information.

Harvey also has questions on the makeup of the regional health councils and the quality health council as little information exists on those bodies.

Next week is the final week for the Legislature fall sitting.