For some families, mental health issues are at the heart of relationship breakdowns. For others, the stress of their circumstances lead to some degree of depression, anxiety and associated mental health issues and many seek medical assistance.

Australians who have a lived experience of mental illness, as consumers of mental health services, are advised to carefully consider the benefits and risks of a My Health Record.

 

Unless you opt, the government will automatically create a My Health Record for you.

My Health Record is an online health record system which will be generated for all Australians. It contains personal health information that can be accessed by the individual, their representatives as well as their health providers and their representatives.

Your My Health Record will contain information such as your health conditions, prescribed medications, test results, discharge and visit summaries, billed Medicare items, medical reports and letters.

In certain circumstances, there is scope for other people and agencies to access records, and this may concern some consumers of mental health services. The Australia Digital Health Agency, however, states it has not, and will not, release any documents without a court/coronial or similar order. 

Consumers can set their own set of controls to partly, but not fully, limit who views some information on their record. However, health care providers can upload information to your My Health Record without a consumer's authorisation, so control settings must be regularly monitored and maintained to avoid access to new information.

 

CoMHWA publish "Informed Choice" brochure

Consumers of Mental Health WA (CoMHWA) recently published a comprehensive guide. The informative guide is designed to assist those of us who are or have been, consumers of mental health services to make an informed choice about whether to opt out of the My Health Record.

The guide titled, “Do I want a My Health Record?”, provides independent information about the benefits and risks of a My Health Record. The brochure is endorsed by Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council (VMIAC) and Being.org.au, the independent peak organisation for people with a lived experience of mental illness in NSW.

The CoMHWA guide lists four reasons why consumers may want a My Health Record, including health provider access to information in an emergency, anywhere across Australia.

On the flip-side, the guide lists nine reasons for choosing to opt out, including the risk of privacy breaches and the particular risk of privacy breaches to people who face stigma and discrimination, such as those with mental health issues or addictions, LGBTIA community members, people from some cultural backgrounds, refugees and humanitarian entrants, people with communicable diseases, sex workers, and people with disabilities.

For a copy of the brochure and a complete list of points recommended for consideration, click HERE.

 

What to do when you have decided

COUNT ME IN – I want a My Health Record

• Do nothing and a My Health Record will be automatically created for you.

• Ask your health care provider, such as your GP, to set one up for you.

• Create your own My Health Record by visiting www.myhealthrecord.gov.au or calling the Information & Helpline: 1800 723 471.

An advantage of creating your own record might be to set up user controls before your record is created, thereby limiting access from day one of the national roll out.

 

I’M OPTING OUT – I don’t want a My Health Record.

Opt out by the 31st Juanuary, 2019.

To opt out:

• Call the Information & Helpline 1800 723 471, or

• visit www.myhealthrecord.gov.au.

If you are opting out online, you will need to have:

• Your Medicare Card Number or Department of Veteran’s Affairs (DVA) card

• Either your driver’s licence, your passport or ImmiCard.

 

If you don’t have the identification you need, call the Helpline.

If you try to opt out but find you already have a My Health Record, you can close your account via your MyGov account or by calling the My Health Record helpline.

 

Can you change your mind?

Yes, you can change your mind and create a My Health Record later, even if you originally opted out.

After the 15th of November, you will be able to close your record however, the information that has already been uploaded will not be deleted.

 

Related Reading:

Is New My Health Record a Risk to Victims of abuse?

Why My Health Record may be a risk for single parents

 

Published by, Christine Weston
Founding Director and Creator of Divorce Resource

The information above is intended to provide a general guideline. More detailed information about My Health Records is available through reading the My Health Records Privacy Collection Notice, Privacy Policy and the My Health Records Act 2012.