A Senate committee has recommended changes to the My Health Record (MHR) system to enhance privacy, and called for an extension of the opt out period by another year.
Recommended changes include strengthening rules to enhance prevent the use of MHR data for commercial purposes and limiting access by government departments for data-matching should be limited.
The Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee's proposed amendments include:
- permanent destruction of a MHR when registration is cancelled
- destruction of any health information included in a MHR that's been destroyed unless there is a court order not to do so
- limiting laws that authorise the collection, use and disclosure of MHR information
- limiting the disclosure of information to law enforcement and government agencies only by order of a specified judicial officer
- repealing the ability of the System Operator to use or disclose health information included in MHRs to law enforcement and revenue protection related activities.
Opt out period currently ends on 15 November.
