Thread by @LezBeFranc

Thread: There's no such thing as an "Opt out" from #MyHealthRecord
Chat with a disgruntled Sydney Health District Manager.
.@Asher_Wolf
.@JoshButler
.@GuardianAus
.@OAICgov

After "opting out", I asked #MyHealthRecords to confirm that no record would be created in the future without my consent. For instance, if I visited a new medical clinic participating in MHR (with the blanket opt in policy).
.@MyHealthRec refused to rule this out.

#MyHealthRecord refused to give any assurances of a permanent "opt out" during this phone call or in writing. Therefore I suspected that another record could be created, despite my "opt out".

I then rang a Sydney Public Hospital. I was hoping to "opt out" permanently (within the hospital). It was immediately obvious that staff in the medical records unit were not keen to handle a #MyHealthRecord enquiry.

Surprisingly my call was escalated to a Senior Health District Manager, who contacted me directly. This Manager was clearly disgruntled with the #MyHealthRecord scheme. They made it clear that my concerns were well founded. And they were more than happy to explain why;

Every public hospital is now bound by the legislation purposely set up for #MyHealthRecord. The legislation has been set up to circumvent The Privacy Act 1988. Each hospital has a blanket "opt in" to MHR. However, there's also no such thing as a blanket "opt out"......

You can only "opt out" with each individual unit within the hospital.
If you don't remember to "opt out" when you present at hospital, you're automatically opted into #MyHealthRecord. So you must actively preserve your medical privacy. Pity if you arrive unconscious at Emergency.

The Health District Manager also confirmed that when you "Opt out" with #MyHealthRecord the record is only deactivated (NOT REMOVED). So an internal hospital 'Opt In" will reactivate your MHR record and overide your previous "Opt Out" with MHR.

Australians have been deceived into thinking that "Opting out" with #MyHealthRecords is legitimate. Thousands of Australians have spent time on hold for nothing.
.@GregHuntMP needs to face Senate Estimates.
.@billshortenmp needs to repeal the duplicitous MHR legislation.