Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

I am pleased to introduce the My Health Records Amendment (Strengthening Privacy) Bill 2018. The Australian government takes seriously the security of health information. This bill will make amendments to the legislation underpinning the My Health Record system to strengthen its privacy protections.

A My Health Record puts consumers at the centre of their health care by enabling access to important health information, when and where it is needed, by consumers and their health care providers. Consumers can choose whether or not to have a My Health Record and can set their own access controls to limit access to their My Health Record or to particular documents within it.

The intent of the My Health Records Act has always been clear—to help improve the health care of all Australians.

The My Health Record system aims to address a fundamental problem with the Australian health system—consumers' health information is fragmented because it is spread across a vast number of locations and systems.

A My Health Record does not replace the detailed medical records held by healthcare providers; rather, it provides a summary of key health information such as information about allergies, medications, diagnoses and test results like blood tests.

The My Health Record system will improve health outcomes by providing important health information when and where it is needed so that the right treatment can be delivered safer and faster. It enables individual consumers to access all their own individual healthcare records privately and securely for the first time.

The My Health Record system has now been operating for more than six years. More than six million Australians, on the advice of the Australian Digital Health Agency, have a My Health Record and more than 13,000 healthcare provider organisations are participating in the system.

Almost seven million clinical documents, 22 million prescription documents and more than 745 million Medicare records have been uploaded, as at the latest information provided by the Australian Digital Health Agency.

In June 2012 the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Records Act, or PCEHR Act, took effect and the PCEHR system began operating in July 2012. This act contained the provisions around disclosure to third parties and the archiving of cancelled records that are being amended by this bill. It was passed unanimously by both houses of this parliament.

In November 2013 the coalition government announced a review into the PCEHR system that subsequently recommended a move to an opt-out system.

In November 2015 the Health Legislation Amendment (eHealth) Bill came into effect. This changed the name of the system from PCEHR to My Health Record and enabled the opt-out approach. The bill passed with unanimous support in both houses, and the comments at the time from the shadow minister at the table were that the changes were sensible.

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