AU2007202641A1 - Method and system for reducing credit risk - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicant: Peter John Prideaux Invention Title: METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR REDUCING CREDIT RISK The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: -2- METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR REDUCING CREDIT RISK F1 ;Field of the Invention n 00 The present invention relates to a method and system for reducing credit risk, especially in care industries.

kDBackground of the invention Credit assessment is widely used, for example to 10 assist financial institutions to assess credit worthiness of applicants for loans, so that the financial c institutions can reduce their credit risk, by declining business from high-risk customers. Such assessment typically includes an intrusive step of gathering detailed information from an applicant, and this intrusive process is now accepted by many applicants for loans and the like.

However, in certain industries, such as child care, the emphasis is on providing care, rather than on the commercial aspects, and subjecting clients and potential clients to intrusive credit applications is inappropriate. It is therefore typical in such industries to practice little or no risk assessment prior to incurring liabilities on behalf of a client.

The inventor has identified that there is a need for an improved or at least alternative method and system for reducing credit risk, especially in care industries.

Summary of the Invention According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for reducing credit risk in a care industry comprising: providing a database comprising data identifying current debtors in a care industry; receiving, from each of a number of service providers in said care industry, information identifying the service provider's own current debtors; using the received information to update the H:\SherylM\KeeP\Speci\P63790 .doc 8/06/01 3 database; authorising a number of service providers in ;said care industry to query the database order to n 00 determine whether a client or proposed client is identified as a current debtor in the database; and providing information to the service providers who make queries, said information indicating whether the N client or proposed client in respect of whom a query has been made is identified as a current debtor in the database.

In accordance with this aspect, at least preferred embodiments can provide a cooperative network of service providers which share information regarding debtors in order to reduce credit risk, avoiding the need to access credit ratings or the like from financial institutions and the need to intrusively gather information from clients or potential clients in order to identify them in the credit ratings or the like of financial institutions.

Preferably the method is computer implemented.

Preferably, in the step of using the received information to update the database, each current debtor identified by a client is associated with a unique identifier, and said unique identifier is an identifier assigned by a public body.

Preferably said unique identifier is an identifier assigned by a public body concerned with care provision.

Preferably said care industry is a care industry in which part of the cost of the care provided is borne by a public body, wherein in order for the said cost of care provided for a user to be borne by the public body the user of the industry is associated with a unique identifier assigned by the public body, and wherein the unique identifier used to identify debtors in the database is the unique identifier assigned by the public body.

In accordance with the above features, at least H :\SherylM\Keep\Speci\P63790 .doc 8/06/07 4 preferred embodiments can ensure that debtors are uniquely identified in the database by use of an externally ;assigned unique identifier thus removing ambiguity 00 regarding their identities. Furthermore, because supply of the unique identifier by the client or potential client to the service provider is a normal part of the process by which the services of the service provider, and subsidy IDthereof by the public body, are obtained, gathering of this information by service providers is not intrusive and does not detract from the relationship between the care service provider and the clients or potential clients.

c In one embodiment the care industry is the child care industry and the unique identifier is a Centrelink Customer Reference Number.

In one embodiment the care industry is a medical industry and the unique identifier is a Medicare Number.

The Medical Industry may, for example, be medical general practice, dentistry, optometry or pathology.

Preferably said step of receiving said information from a number of service providers in the care industry identifying their own current debtors is preceded by authorising said service providers to provide information for updating the database.

Preferably said step of receiving, from a number of service providers in said care industry, information identifying their own current debtors is preceded, for each of said service providers, by supplying the service provider with a mechanism for providing said information.

Preferably said mechanism for providing said information is an electronic form onto or into which said information can be entered.

Preferably said mechanism for providing said information is provided via a website.

Preferably, at least a majority of the service providers authorised to query the database are service providers authorised to provide information for updating the database.

H:\SherylM\Keep\SpeCi\P63790.dOC 8/06/07 Preferably, for at least a majority of the service providers, authorisation for that service provider ;to query the database is dependent upon periodic receipt 00 of information from that service provider identifying its own current debtors.

In accordance with the above feature, at least preferred embodiments can provide that authorisation of IND each service provider to query the database is dependent Supon that service provider continuing to provide current useful information, thus assisting in keeping the database current and accurate.

Preferably the method includes updating the database so that any previously identified current debtors who have not been identified as current debtors in any information received from authorised service providers during an immediately preceding predetermined period of time are no longer included on the database as current debtors.

In accordance with the above feature, at least preferred embodiments can provide that if a previously identified debtor has not been included as a debtor in recently received debtor information then that previously identified debtor is no longer identified in the database as a current debtor. This helps to ensure that a client or potential client is not identified as a current debtor for an unduly long period of time merely because a service provider which previously identified that client or potential client as a debtor has failed to provide updated information.

Preferably the step of providing the database comprises providing the database on at least one server.

Preferably the method comprises provision and receipt of information via a website.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for reducing risk in a care industry comprising: a database comprising data identifying current H: \SherylM\Keep\gpeci\P63790 .doc 8/06/0" 6 debtors in a care industry; information receiving means for receiving from ;each of a number of authorised service providers in said n 00 care industry, information identifying their own current debtors; updating means for updating the database using the received information identifying the current debtors of the authorised service providers; means for allowing authorised service providers in said care industry to query the database in order to determine whether a client or proposed client is C identified as a debtor in the database.

Preferably the database is maintained on at least one server.

Preferably the information receiving means comprises one or more coded computer instructions which allow receipt, from each of a number of authorised service providers in said care industry, of information identifying current debtors.

Preferably the updating means comprises one or more coded computer instructions which allow updating the database using the received information.

Preferably the means for allowing authorised service providers in said care industry to query the database in order to determine whether a client or proposed client is identified as a debtor in the database comprises one or more coded computer instructions which allow the authorised service providers to query the database.

Preferably the system comprises means to allow communication between the database and the authorised service providers via a computer network.

Preferably the system comprises means to allow communication between the database and the authorised service providers via the Internet.

Preferably, in the database, each current debtor is associated with a unique identifier, and said unique H:\Sherylm\Keep\Speci\P63790.doc 8/06/07 7 identifier is an identifier assigned by a public body.

Preferably said care industry is a care industry ;in which at least part of the cost of the care provided is n 00 borne by a public body, wherein in order for the said cost of care provided for a user to be borne by the public body the user of the industry is associated with a unique identifier assigned by the public body, and wherein the unique identifier used to identify debtors in the database Sis the unique identifier assigned by the public body.

In accordance with the above features, at least preferred embodiments can ensure that debtors are uniquely identified in the database by use of an externally assigned unique identifier thus removing ambiguity regarding their identities. Furthermore, because supply of the unique identifier by the client or potential client to the service provider is a normal part of the process by which the services of the service provider are obtained, gathering of this information in not intrusive and does not detract from the relationship between the care service provider and the clients or potential clients.

In one embodiment the care industry is the child care industry and the unique identifier is a Centrelink Customer Reference Number.

In one embodiment the care industry is a medical industry and the unique identifier is a Medicare Number.

The Medical Industry may, for example, be medical general practice, dentistry, optometry or pathology.

Preferably the system comprises a mechanism for facilitating the provision, by the authorised service providers in said care industry, of information identifying their own current debtors.

Preferably said mechanism comprises an electronic form onto or into which said information can be entered.

Preferably said mechanism comprises an internetbased interface.

Preferably said mechanism for providing said information is provided via a website.

H: \SherylM\Keep\Speci\P63790 .doc 8/06/07 8 Preferably the system comprises means to automatically update the database so that any previously ;identified current debtors who have not been identified as 00 current debtors in any information received from authorised service providers during an immediately preceding predetermined period of time are not included on the database as current debtors.

SIt will be appreciated that features described in relation to the first aspect will be of relevance to the second aspect and vice versa.

1 Brief Description of the Drawings Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic representation of an embodiment of a system which may be used for reducing credit risk; Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating part of a preferred embodiment of a system and method for reducing credit risk with emphasis on updating by member service providers; Figure 3 is a block diagram illustrating part of a preferred embodiment of a system and method for reducing credit risk with emphasis on queries by member service providers regarding clients or potential clients; Figure 4 is a block diagram schematically illustrating functionality of a members' area of the system of Figures 1 to 3; and Figure 5 is a block diagram schematically illustrating functionality of an administration area of the system of Figures 1 to 3.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments With reference to the accompanying drawings, an embodiment of a system, generally designated 1, for reducing credit risk comprises a server 10 running H: \Sherylm\Keep\Speci\P63790.doc 8/06/07 9 software which includes a database 20. The database includes data identifying persons or families who are ;current debtors in a particular care industry. In this 00 embodiment, by way of example, the care industry is the child care industry, but it will be appreciated that in other embodiments the system could be used in relation to other care industries (such as, for example, medical IDindustries including medical general practice, dentistry, Soptometry or pathology).

The server 10 is connected to Internet 30 via a server Internet connection 11. The server 10 comprises an interface arrangement 12 (for example comprising a network interface card) for effecting connection to the Internet A number of child care service providers are granted authorisation to access the services provided by the system i. The system 1 allows the authorised child care service providers to cooperate by identifying its own current debtors so that they can be added to the database 20. Further each authorised child care service provider can query the database 20 in order to determine whether a client (or prospective client) is a debtor of another of the authorised child care service providers. Thus the authorised child care service providers may be regarded as authorised members 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 of a group which shares information regarding debtors in order to reduce the risk associated with providing services in advance of payment to clients: that is, in effect, providing a degree of credit to clients. Each member 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 can conveniently access the server 10, via a respective Internet connection 36, 37, 38, 39, It will be appreciated that the database 20, at least in preferred embodiments, includes information in addition to current debtors. For example, the database includes details of the members, and which current debtors are debtors of each member. This allows each member to access a list of its own current debtors (as identified on H:\SherylM\Kee\Speci\P63790.doc 8/06/07 10 the database 20) as will be described in more detail in due course. The database also includes information ;related to when each member updated its current debtor n 00 information, and other information as will become apparent in due course.

An input software component, designated schematically in Figure 1 by the arrow 14 directed from ND the interface arrangement 12 to the database 20 allows information received from the members 31, 32, 33, 34, 0 (identifying their own current debtors) to be added to the database c A query software component, designated schematically in Figure 1 by the arrow 16 directed from the database 20 to the interface arrangement 12 allows information relating to identified current debtors to be retrieved from the database 20 in response to queries from the members 31, 32, 33, 34, The system is, in preferred embodiments, provided via a website for access by members. Updating and querying of databases online is known per se and because many of the functions described herein will be within the scope of the skilled addressee to implement, detailed description of the coding database structure and website design will not be specifically described herein.

It will be appreciated that a considerable amount of software is provided in order to control access to and updating of the database, as well as other functions that will be described in due course. This software is, in the schematic Figure 1 included in the representative arrows 14 and 16, but this is not intended to indicate that the software is limited to input and query software components.

A typical response of one of the members 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 to finding, as the result of querying the database 20, that a prospective client requesting service in advance of payment is a debtor of another of the members is that service will be refused, or at least that H:\SherylM\Keep\Spci\P63790 .doc 8/06/07 -11 payment in advance will be required. Thus it is important that prospective clients are not incorrectly identified as ;debtors. In order to uniquely identify debtors a unique n 00 identifier is used whenever a debtor appears on the database, and an effective unique identifier is a unique reference number (URN) allocated to a person or family by a public body. It is particularly advantageous (in this O embodiment) to use the Centrelink Customer Reference SNumber (CRN), as will be explained further below.

Each member 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 will be a child care provider designated as 'approved' by the Family Assistance Office, and such approved child care providers typically receive Child Care Benefit direct from Centrelink via the Family Assistance Office in order to subsidise the child care cost. In order to receive Child Care Benefit for a particular child the member must therefore have the Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN) which relates to that family. Therefore it is normal practice for child care providers to require the family's CRN as part of the registration of the child.

Obtaining the CRN is done as a matter of course and is not considered obtrusive or invasive of the privacy of the family. Thus each member 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 will, as a matter of course, have a unique identifier in the form of a URN for each client or potential client who has properly made an application for child care.

Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating some operations of a preferred embodiment of a system and method for reducing credit risk, and in particular illustrating schematically the updating of the database Block 100 represents introduction of a new member (eg member 35). The member is allocated a username and password, and if desired provided with suitable instruction and documentation for using the system 1 and is thus provided with secure access to the system 1, as indicated by block 110.

H:\SherylM\Keep\Speci\P63790.doc 8/06/07 12 A new member will typically have one or more existing current debtors (as indicated at block 120), and ;as explained above will have a CRN for each debtor. AS 00 indicated by block 130 the member 35 uploads details of its current debtors, including their CRNs, to the system.

These current debtors, uniquely identified by their CRNs are then added to the database 20 of current debtors.

O It will be appreciated that in order to keep the database 20 accurate and current it must be updated regularly, and each member is therefore encouraged or required to update details of its current debtors at c regular intervals, preferably no less often than every week or two, as indicated by block 150.

In order to help ensure that a client or potential client is not identified on the database as a current debtor for an unduly long period of time merely because a member which previously identified that client or potential client as a debtor has failed to provide updated information, the system automatically removes from current debtor status in the database 20 any previously identified debtors who have not been identified as current debtors by a member during an immediately preceding predetermined period of time (as indicated at block 160).

This period may be determined as desired, and will depend upon (and exceed) the frequency with which members are required to update their current debtor information, but a period of between two and five weeks is currently considered appropriate. The uploading of current debtor details, at block 150, is arranged such that each update effectively comprises a full list of the member's current debtors, so a previously identified debtor who remains a debtor will be included in each update and will therefore not be removed from current debtor status database of by the automatic removal of block 160.

The blocks within the broken rectangle 170 thus illustrate the continuing updating of the database 20 of current debtors. As indicated by block 180, the regularly H: \SherylM\Keep\Speci\P63790.doc 8/06/07 -13 O updated database 20 can be queried by members.

SQuerying of the database by a member is illustrated in more detail in Figure 3. In order to query 00 the database 20 a child care provider must have become a member (eg member 35) and be provided with secure access to the system, as illustrated in blocks 200 and 210 (which may be regarded as corresponding to blocks 100 and 110 of IC Figure 2).

SWhen the member 35 receives an application from a potential new client, as indicated at block 220, the potential new client's application for child care will include the corresponding CRN, as indicated at block 230, as described above.

The member 35 can then log onto the system 1 and query the system using the CRN, as indicated at block 240, and the system will inform the member whether the potential new client, as uniquely identified by the CRN, is a debtor of another member, as indicated at block 250.

The member 35 will thus have been provided with information which enables a decision to be taken which significantly reduces the credit risk associated with providing services in advance of payment.

Figure 4 is a block diagram schematically illustrating functionality of a members' area 400 of the system 1.

A first function of the members' area 400 is the login function 410, which is typically presented as a screen or electronic form on a page of the system website with fields for a member's username and password. Once the username and password have been verified the member is logged in, block 412, and may access the other functions of the members area 400. Entry of either or both of the username and password may, if desired, be rendered unnecessary by instructing the system to "remember" the username and/or password. Techniques for achieving this, such as for example those comprising the use of 'cookies' are known per se and will not be detailed herein.

H:\SherylM\Keep\Speci\P63790.doc 8/06/07 14 A further function of the members' area 400 is the DEBTOR SEARCH function 420. A page of the system ;website provides fields for a member to enter the surname 00 422 and CRN 424 of the client or potential client they wish to conduct a search on. The search is performed 426 using the CRN, and a search result 428 is obtained indicating whether the client or potential client has been Sentered in the database 20 as a current debtor by another member. If the client or potential client has been entered in the database 20 as a current debtor the member conducting the search is notified, substantially immediately, with an indication such as 'Debtor found in system'. If the client or potential client is not entered in the database 20 as a current debtor the member conducting the search is notified, substantially immediately, with an indication such as 'Debtor not found'.

A further function of the members' area 400 is the ADD NEW DEBTOR function 430. A page of the system website provides fields for a member to enter a current debtor's surname 432 and CRN 434. In this embodiment, as a safeguard against typographical error, the member is required to re-enter the CRN 436. The member clicks on an on an on-screen button appropriately marked with an indication such as 'Add New Debtor' 438. The client or potential client, as identified uniquely by the CRN, is then entered into the database 20 of current debtors.

Members are not limited to adding a specific number of debtors.

A further function of the members' area 400 is provided by a section or screen entitled MY CURRENT DEBTORS 440. A member can view a list of all of the families they have listed on the database 20 by selecting a VIEW DEBTOR LIST option 442 (for example by selecting a suitably labelled menu option or clicking on an appropriately labelled on screen button). A member can edit the list to remove 444 debtors from its own debtor H:\Sheyl1M\Keep\peCi\P63790.doc 8/06/07

I

15 list at any time, and this can be achieved by any suitable means of indicating which debtors in the list are to be ;removed. In one embodiment each debtor in the list is 00 provided with a corresponding tick box, in which a tick appears (either automatically or by virtue of the member ticking a 'select all' option. The member then removes the ticks in the boxes beside any of the debtors which IDthey wish to remove from the list, effectively designating that the debtors without ticks in the corresponding boxes are to be removed from the list, and those with ticks in the corresponding boxes are to be retained in the list.

When editing of the debtor list is completed to the member's satisfaction the edited list can be submitted by selecting a suitably labelled menu option or clicking on an on screen button appropriately labelled with a legend such as 'Update' 446, resulting in the debtors without ticks in the corresponding boxes being removed from the list and the updated list being submitted to the database The database is thereby updated 448 and debtors which previously appeared on the members list of current debtors and which do not appear on the updated list do are removed from the database 20 of current debtors (provided, of course, they are not registered as debtors by any other member). Members can view their own lists of current debtors at anytime (and can manipulate their list without updating providing the 'Update' option is not selected).

In order to keep the database 20 accurate and current, members are encouraged to update their list of debtors frequently, preferably at least weekly, in order to remove any debtors who have repaid fees that were owed or to add new debtors.

A further function of the members' area 400 is the DEBT RECOVERY section 450. A page of the system website provides an online form 452 which has several automatically filled in fields relating to the logged-in member's details. The member can submit this form online if they wish to employ a debt recovery service for overdue H:\Sherylm\Keep\Speci\P63790.doc 8/06/07 16 fees. Because the form has many fields relating to the member filled in automatically, completion of the form is ;facilitated and the member is only required to fill in the 00 remaining fields including the amount owing 454 and how many different accounts require debt recovery 456. The form can be submitted by selecting a suitably labelled menu option or clicking on an on screen button IND appropriately labelled with a legend such as "Submit" 458, resulting in instructions being provided to an administrator of the system or, if desired, direct to a debt recovery organisation, to initiate the debt recovery process 459.

A further function of the members' area 400 is the EDIT MY DETAILS section 460. A page of the system website provides an on-line form 462 with filled in fields for the logged in member's details such as password and contact details. The member can edit any of these details. After completing any changes the member clicks on an on an on-screen button appropriately marked with an indication such as 'Update Details'464 and the details are updated 466 on the system.

A further function of the members' area 400 is the LOGOUT function 420. After the member has completed their online work, they log out of the system, for example by clicking on an on an appropriately marked on-screen button, and are logged out of the system 472.

Figure 5 is a block diagram schematically illustrating functionality of an administration area 500 of the system 1. This area will be described only briefly to give an indication of the functionality.

A first function of the administration area 500 is the login function 510.

A further section of the administration area 500 allows an administrator to MANAGE CONTENT 520, that is, to edit and update text content on pages including: About Us, Contact Us, Disclaimer, Home Page, Our Services, Our Services Add New Debtor, Our Services Debt Recovery, H: \SherylM\Keep\Speci\P63790.doC 8/06/07 17 Our Services Debtor Search, Privacy. Edited subject matter is included in the relevant page or pages by ;Zclicking on an on an 'Update' button 522.

00 A further section of the administration area 500 allows an administrator to LIST MEMBERS 530, providing access to a database of members and their details including: member ID number, member email address, \Omember's last login date and time, and member's status (ie Swhether or not they are currently a financial member).

A further section of the administration area 500 allows an administrator to view SEARCH HISTORY 540, that is, to access a database of searches conducted by members.

Available details include: Search Date, Debtor ID number, Debtor's Last Name, Debtor's CRN, member ID number, whether the CRN and corresponding family/client were found in the current debtors database 20. It will be appreciated that if a given CRN has been searched by a number of members this indicates that the family/client to which the CRN corresponds has approached those members seeking services, and that consideration of the details of the searches (dates, geographical locations of the members performing the searches, etc) may allow an administrator to deduce activities of such families/clients such as their geographical movement. This can be of considerable assistance in locating debtors, such as for debt recovery operations.

A further section of the administration area 500 allows an administrator to adjust SCHEDULING SETTINGS 550, that is, to set up mail merges using any of the databases, and most usefully the database of members. Mail merge selection groups include: Member ID numbers, Status groups including 'Active' current financial members, 'Inactive' non financial members and/or 'Never' non financial members who request never to be contacted unless upon request.

Templates have been devised and integrated for mail merging purposes. It is intended to use this function to send emails to 'active' members each week including a link H :\SherylM\Keep\Speci\P63790 .doc 8/06/07 18 to the member's log in area, thus encouraging members to log in, and update their debtor lists, each week.

;A further section of the administration area 500 n 00 allows an administrator to ADD NEW MEMBERS 560. That is, the administrator can add new members to the database.

Clients are added using an electronic form which includes fields for: member's email address, member's password, Smember status 'Inactive', 'Active', or 'Never'), Smember's group name, member's business name, member's phone number, member's preferred contact name, member's mobile phone number, member's physical address, member's suburb, member's state, member's postcode. The administrator clicks on an on-screen button appropriately marked with an indication such as 'Add Member' 569 to enter the new client into the database.

A further section of the administration area 500 allows an administrator to ADD NEW ADMINISTRATOR 570.

That is, the administrator can add new administrators to administer the system. Administrators are added using an electronic form which includes fields for: new administrator's email address, new administrator's password, new administrator's first name, new administrator's last name. The administrator clicks on an on-screen button appropriately marked with an indication such as 'Add Administrator' 575 to register and authorise the new administrator.

A further section of the administration area 500 allows an administrator to EDIT DETAILS 580, that is to edit his own details including: email address, password, first name, last name. The administrator clicks on an onscreen button appropriately marked with an indication such as 'Update' 585 to register the updated details into the administration area.

A further function of the administration area 500 allows an administrator to LOGOUT 590.

It should be appreciated that the functionality represented in Figures 4 and 5 will, at leas in preferred H: \SherylM\Keep\Speci\P63790.doc 8/06/07 19 O embodiments, be provided by components of the software Swhich forms part of the system 1 (and which is represented ;Zf schematically by the arrows 14 and 16 in Fig.l). It is 00 considered within the capabilities of the skill addressee to provide such software, based on the information provided herein, and there are many ways of implementing software with the desired functionality. The form of the C software itself is therefore not described in detail herein.

The structure and functionality of the system and method of preferred embodiments will be evident from the foregoing description, but it should be appreciated that many variations are possible. For example, although preferred embodiments are web based, it will be appreciated that this is not essential and a local network or other means of providing information for updating and interrogating a list or database of debtors could be used.

Although the preferred embodiment relates to the child care industry, it will be appreciated that other embodiments could relate to other industries.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

Modifications and improvements may be incorporated without departing from the scope of the present invention.

H \SherylM\KeeP\Speci\P63790.doc 8/06/0'

Claims (12)

1. 2. A method as claimed in claim I, wherein the method is computer implemented.
2. 3. A method as claimed in either preceding claim wherein in the step of using the received information to update the database, each current debtor identified by a client is associated with a unique identifier, and said unique identifier is an identifier assigned by a public body.
3. 4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said unique identifier is an identifier assigned by a public body concerned with care provision. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein said care industry is a care industry in which at least part of the cost of the care provided is borne by a public body, wherein in order for the said cost of care provided for a user to be borne by the public body the user of the industry is associated with a unique identifier assigned H: \SherylM\Keep\Speci\P63790.doc 8106/07
4. 21- by the public body, and wherein the unique identifier used to identify debtors in the database is the unique ;Zidentifier assigned by the public body. 00 6. A method as claimed in any of claims 3 to 5, wherein the care industry is the child care industry and the unique identifier is a Centrelink Customer Reference Number. 7. A method as claimed in any of claims 3 to wherein the care industry is a medical industry and the unique identifier is a Medicare Number. 8. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said step of receiving said information from a number of service providers in the care industry identifying their own current debtors is preceded by authorising said service providers to provide information for updating the database. 9. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said step of receiving, from a number of service providers in said care industry, information identifying their own current debtors is preceded, for each of said service providers, by supplying the service provider with a mechanism for providing said information. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said mechanism for providing said information is an electronic form onto or into which said information can be entered. 11. A method as claimed in either of claims 9 or 10, wherein at least a majority of the service providers authorised to query the database are service providers authorised to provide information for updating the database. 12. A method as claimed in any of claims 9 to 11, wherein for at least a majority of the service providers, authorisation for that service provider to query the database is dependent upon periodic receipt of information from that service provider identifying its own current debtors. H: \SherylM\Keep\peci\P63790.doc 8/06/07
5. 22- 13. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the method further comprises updating the database ;Zso that any previously identified current debtors who have 00 not been identified as current debtors in any information received from authorised service providers during an immediately preceding predetermined period of time are no longer included on the database as current debtors. IN 14. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, Swherein the step of providing the database comprises providing the database on at least one server. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the method comprises provision and receipt of information via a website. 16. A system for reducing risk in a care industry comprising: a database comprising data identifying current debtors in a care industry; information receiving means for receiving from each of a number of authorised service providers in said care industry, information identifying their own current debtors; updating means for updating the database using the received information identifying the current debtors of the authorised service providers; means for allowing authorised service providers in said care industry to query the database in order to determine whether a client or proposed client is identified as a debtor in the database. 17. A system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the database is maintained on at least one server. 18. A system as claimed in either of claims 16 or 17, wherein the information receiving means comprises one or more coded computer instructions which allow receipt, from each of a number of authorised service providers in said care industry, of information identifying current debtors. 19. A system as claimed in any one of claims 16 H: \SherylM\Keep\Speci\P63790 .doc 8106/07
6. 23- O to 18, wherein the updating means comprises one or more Scoded computer instructions which allow updating the ;Zf database using the received information. 00 20. A system as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 19, wherein the means for allowing authorised service providers in said care industry to query the database in order to determine whether a client or proposed client is C identified as a debtor in the database comprises one or S more coded computer instructions which allow the authorised service providers to query the database. 21. A system as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 20, wherein the system comprises means to allow communication between the database and the authorised service providers via a computer network. 22. A system as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 21, wherein the system comprises means to allow communication between the database and the authorised service providers via the Internet. 23. A system as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 22, wherein in the database, each current debtor is associated with a unique identifier, and said unique identifier is an identifier assigned by a public body.
7. 24. A system as claimed in claim 23, wherein said care industry is a care industry in which at least part of the cost of the care provided is borne by a public body, wherein in order for the said cost of care provided for a user to be borne by the public body the user of the industry is associated with a unique identifier assigned by the public body, and wherein the unique identifier used to identify debtors in the database is the unique identifier assigned by the public body. A system as claimed in either of claims 23 or 24, wherein the care industry is the child care industry and the unique identifier is a Centrelink Customer Reference Number.
8. 26. A system as claimed in either of claims 23 or 24, wherein the care industry is a medical industry and H: \SherylM\Keep\Speci\P63790.doC 8/06/07 24 O the unique identifier is a Medicare Number.
9. 27. A system as claimed in any one of claims 16 ;Z to 26, wherein the system comprises a mechanism for 00 facilitating the provision, by the authorised service providers in said care industry, of information identifying their own current debtors.
10. 28. A system as claimed in claim 27, wherein I said mechanism comprises an electronic form onto or into which said information can be entered.
11. 29. A system as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 28, wherein the system comprises means to automatically update the database, so that any previously identified current debtors who have not been identified as current debtors in any information received from authorised service providers during an immediately preceding predetermined period of time are not included on the database as current debtors. A method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
12. 31. A system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings. H \SherylM\Keep\Speci\P63790.doc 9/06/07