These guidelines provide direction for all health service providers to undertake best practice strategies to secure information. The review and interpretation is based upon the Information Security Management standard AS/NZS 17799. The intention of this Handbook is that it is to be used as a document for the initiation, implementation and maintenance of information security measures within a health business. The focus of this handbook is aimed towards small to medium sized health care providers, and not Information Technology professionals. Therefore the AS/NZS 17799 key control area of Systems Development and Maintenance has not been given its own sub-section. Health care providers who are the custodians of confidential information must ensure that information is effectively protected against improper disclosure, modification and use. This guide outlines effective security management practices to provide confidence in inter-health organisational dealings.