What is a health service provider required to do when an individual asks for....

View printable version of this page

Question: What is a health service provider required to do when an individual asks for his or her medical records to be corrected?

Answer: Under National Privacy Principle 6.5 (NPP 6.5) a health service provider must take reasonable steps to correct the record, if the individual establishes that it includes incorrect health (or other personal) information. Where there is disagreement about the accuracy of the information, the health service provider will need to take reasonable steps to associate a statement (containing the individual's claims) with the information in question, if the individual requests this.

What are 'reasonable steps' will depend on the circumstances. For example, if the health information is of poor quality, inaccessible and unlikely to be used, then it may be unreasonable to correct that information. Where correction is necessary, it is generally preferable for the provider to amend the information or add a correction to the record, instead of permanently deleting information. For more information, see Guidelines on Privacy in the Private Health Sector, 6.10 Amendments to individual's health information.

For more detail on NPP 6 generally, see Information Sheet 4 - Access and Correction.