You have the right to access your medical records under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and other State or Territory legislation that applies to you. This is often a very useful (and easy) first step in working out whether your medical treatment was correctly recorded, and whether it was provided in accordance with competent professional practice.
If you want to request your records you will need to:
- Identify your healthcare provider: Determine which healthcare facility or practitioner has the medical records you would like access to. This could be your general practitioner (GP), specialist, hospital, or clinic. Remember that sometimes a GP will take medical records to another practice if they move, and sometimes they wont.
- Contact the healthcare provider: You can do this by phone, email, or in person. Ask them about their process for requesting medical records and if there are any specific forms you need to fill out.
- Complete necessary forms, if required: These forms typically require your personal details, such as name, date of birth, and contact information, as well as a description of the records you’re requesting.
- Provide identification: To verify your identity and protect your privacy, you may be asked to provide identification documents, such as a driver’s license or passport.
- Submit your request: Send your completed forms and identification documents to the healthcare provider through the method they specify. Make sure to follow any instructions they provide regarding submission.
- Wait for the response: Once your request is received, the healthcare provider is legally required to respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe, usually within 30 days or 25 business days.
The healthcare provider may ask for a fee to provide these records to you.
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