Your health information

ACCESSING YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION

You are entitled to request access to your health information and medical records. Although the information is about you, the original records belong to the health service provider (such as the doctor, or hospital or clinic) that created them. If you wish to access your health information you can ask to speak to the Privacy Contact officer (in a hospital setting) or the practice manager at your clinic or health centre. They should be able to explain the process for accessing your health information. The Information and Privacy Commission of NSW has an excellent fact sheet about accessing your health information on their website.

The Health Care Complaints Commission is unable to retrieve your health information for you and cannot direct a health service to provide it to you, however the Information and Privacy Commission may be able to assist if you have a complaint about accessing your health information.

You can find our more on the Information and Privacy Commission’s website www.ipc.nsw.gov.au or phone them on 1800 472 679.

AMENDING YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION

If you believe there is a mistake in your health records you can request your provider to correct it. It is best to make your request in writing. If the provider agrees there has been an error they will make an amendment to the record to note the correct information. However, it is possible that the provider may not agree that their record is inaccurate. If there is a disagreement about the accuracy of information or an opinion in your medical record you can ask the provider to place a letter from you about why you do not agree, or information such as a report from another health professional next to the information in your file.

The Health Care Complaints Commission is unable to direct that medical records be changed. If you are not happy with the way a health care provider has managed your request for a correction to your record you can make a complaint to the Information and Privacy Commission. You can find our more on the Information and Privacy Commission’s website www.ipc.nsw.gov.au or phone them on 1800 472 679.