From July 2026, pathology reports, including STI test results, will be automatically uploaded to My Health Record unless a patient asks for them not to be uploaded. These changes create privacy concerns for sex workers.
Find out more: My Health page on Red Book.
Control your My Health Record access
If you don’t yet have a My Health Record
When the system was originally set up (in 2018–2019), there was a one-off national opt-out period.
If you missed that, and you don’t currently have a record, you can still choose not to create one when interacting with healthcare providers or government services. You must tell the healthcare provider (doctor, nurse etc) that you do NOT want a My Health Record created.
If you already have a My Health Record
You can’t fully “delete” an existing record, but you can cancel it. Cancelling means your record becomes inaccessible to healthcare providers. Some data may still be securely retained by the system (for legal and auditing purposes), but it will no longer be available to view or update.
To cancel your My Health Record –
- Log in to My Health Record via MyGov
- Go to: Menu → Profile & Settings → Cancel My Health Record
- Follow the steps to cancel.
Restricting access instead of cancelling
If you don’t want to cancel completely, you can set access controls, which means you can choose which healthcare providers can or can’t see your record.
There is also an option to use a Record Access Code or Limited Document Access Code for tighter control. How to set a Record Access Code:
- Go to: Privacy & Access → Healthcare Organisation Access
- Follow the steps to set your record access code.
How to remove or restrict access to specific documents:
- Go to: Privacy & Access → Document Access
- Select the information you would like to restrict.
Other ways to cancel
Call the My Health Record Help line: 1800 723 471
Or complete a paper form: Application to Cancel My Health Record (available through Services Australia). Download the form.
If you have any questions or experience difficulty in changing or managing your My Health Record, we are available to assist. You can find our office and contact details here: https://respectqld.org.au/contact-us/
This information has been provided by Scarlet Alliance, QC, and QPP.