My Health Record can help you manage health information for your whole family. Important medical details can be stored in one place and available at any time – including emergencies but there are some things you need to know:
How you can use My Health Record
As a parent, you can use My Health Record to:
- Keep track of your child's information online – Log in to My Health Record securely through myGov to see and manage your child’s health information.
- Share important health details in an emergency – Emergency contacts, allergies and current medicines are available to doctors at a critical time.
- Get a record for a newborn – When you register your newborn for Medicare, you can choose whether they will get a My Health Record.
- Use privacy settings to control access to your family's record – Use privacy settings to control access to your child’s record.
Birth to 14 years
When you register your newborn for Medicare, you can choose whether they will get a My Health Record. This is part of the Newborn Child Declaration form in the ‘Parent Pack’ you are given by your hospital or midwife when your child is born.
To become an authorised representative for a child up to 14 years of age, you will need to prove parental authority by providing one of the following:
- Your Medicare card, which shows your name and your child's name
- The child's birth certificate
- An order from an Australian Court or tribunal that shows you have parental responsibility for the child
- Adoption papers
Authorised representatives
An authorised representative is responsible for managing the My Health Record of someone who is not able to make decisions for themselves.
In some cases, there may be more than one authorised representative who can manage a child’s My Health Record provided they are eligible on the same basis. For example, both parents of a child can apply to be authorised representatives.
If you have any questions or issues relating to an authorised representative, contact the helpline on 1800 723 471.
Access your child’s My Health Record
If your child’s name is listed on your Medicare card, you can use your myGov account to access and manage your child’s My Health Record. If you don’t have a myGov account, set one up at my.gov.au
You also need your Medicare card number and your child’s Individual Reference Number (the number to the left of your child’s name on the Medicare card).
- Log in to My Health Record through myGov.
- Select ‘Access or Create a My Health Record for someone else’.
- Select ‘Access or Create a My Health Record for a child’.
- Enter your child’s details including their name, sex, date of birth and Medicare details, then select ‘Next’.
- Read and accept the ‘Parental Declaration’.
- Agree to the ‘Application and Consent’.
After completing these steps, you will have full control over your child's record as an authorised representative.
Children over 14 years
When your child turns 14, all authorised representatives and nominated representatives are removed from the child’s record.
From the age of 14, children are able to control their own My Health Record, and can invite a parent, a family member, carer or trusted friend to access to their record as a nominated representative.
However, if your child is not able to make decisions for themselves, you can apply to become their authorised representative. To do this, you will need to provide your and your child’s details and supporting information to demonstrate your authority to act on behalf of your child.
Find out how to support your child to manage their own record from age 14.
Privacy settings
There are a range of privacy and access settings available if you want extra privacy for your child’s record. You can set an access code to restrict which healthcare organisations can see the record or individual documents in it and you can set up notifications to receive an email or SMS any time a new healthcare provider accesses your child’s record.
Find out how to control access to your child’s My Health Record.
Casey and Jamie are busy parents to three-year-old Emily. They also have a new arrival on the way. Balancing work and home life is hard enough – so they signed up for My Health Record to help manage their family’s health. They now have easy access to medical records, including Emily’s vaccinations, even when they can’t get in to see their regular doctor.
Sharon and Isaac’s story
As a busy mum of four, Sharon spends a lot of time looking after her children's health records. That includes her youngest son, Isaac, who has been in and out of hospital with skateboarding and other sporting injuries.
Find more My Health Record stories on our YouTube page.
