Accessing someone else's information
To access someone else's health records, you must either:
- be acting on their behalf with their consent
- have legal authority to make decisions on their behalf
- have another legal basis for access.
An adult family member
If you need to access a family member’s health record, you must get their consent. If you can't because the patient is deceased or doesn't have decision making capacity, you'll need to make an application under the Right to Information Act 2009 (RTI Act)
There is an application fee and additional processing charges may apply. You will be notified of the fees payable when your application is received.
You'll need to provide evidence of your identity and your relationship to the patient. You can do this by providing a copy of birth, death and/or marriage certificates. The copy must be certified as a ‘true copy’ by a Justice of the Peace.
The decision maker will need to know why you're requesting the record to determine if the release would outweigh the patient’s right to privacy. It's important that you explain the reasons that will support your application and how the information will be used.
Your children
You can apply for access to your child’s health record at no cost.
You'll need to provide evidence of your identity and your relationship to the child. You can do this by providing a copy of the child’s birth certificate along with your driver's licence or passport. The copy must be certified as a ‘true copy’ by a Justice of the Peace.
The decision maker will need to know why you're requesting the record to determine if the release is in the child’s best interests.
Your client
If you need to access your client's health record, you must get their consent.
Your request must be on company letterhead and include your client's name, date of birth and consent to access their records.
You'll need to be specific about the information you're requesting. For example, information regarding their injuries in a car accident in 2020.
Generic requests asking for a copy of ‘the complete file’ won't be actioned. You'll be asked to refine the scope of your request.
How to apply
To apply for access to someone else's health records you’ll need to fill out the Right to Information and Information Privacy Access Application form. Please send it and any supporting documents, including identity and relationship documents by email to DDInfoaccess@health.qld.gov.au.
Some fees and charges apply to these applications.
If you’re a registered health practitioner, you can get your patient’s health care details by logging into the Health Provider Portal. You can also get them from the Information Access Unit.