Freedom of Information Act: Obtaining Your Personal Information/Records

[RabbitHeart]

Do you want access to or to obtain a copy of your personal information or medical data/record/history?

It is possible as it is your Right under the FOI Act (Freedom of Information).

Your FOI request must:

• be in writing
• state that the request is made under the FOI Act
• provide enough information about the document(s) you wish to access

The protocol may vary depending on where you are making your request, but the process is mostly the same. An FOI form will usually need to be filled out and posted or emailed to wherever you are making the request. 
Sometimes information will reside on the website of the place you are requesting your FOI, regarding the process and supplying an email or form, etc. 

Other times, it may be more difficult or not as clear. Usually by posting or emailing the place in which you want your personal information or record and stating your request under the FOI Act, you should be provided with the means to start the FOI process. 

Sometimes fees can be involved and sometimes the fees can be waived under certain circumstances (for example, financial hardship, healthcare card holder, etc). It is best to ask the place directly what options they have available to your circumstance.

I hope that this information can be of use to someone. When being linked into health services, especially those surrounding mental health, we may want a record of our information such as medications, health professionals we have worked with, psychologist notes, etc. 

Your personal information and medical records are your own and if you want access to them, you should seek an avenue to do so.

Be sure to research the process and your Rights if you are interested and to be informed when making requests for your personal information.

Keep in mind that acquiring medical history (especially relating to your mental health/illness) can possibly be distressing and I recommend having a strong support system in place, or to be linked in with professional help, to support you through the process. 

Good Luck! 🍀

Note: Process and information may vary per state. This information was based off of Victorian FOI. 

[tyme]

Thanks for sharing @RabbitHeart 🙂

[chibam]

Food for thought, @RabbitHeart 🙂

I have to admit that this brings up a heap of mixed feelings in my case. I can't help but wonder if perhaps there is something nefarious marked in my government record that might explain why my life has been so barren; although I have to admit that that theory can't explain why it was so barren before I even reached out for help in the first place.

Even if there is something bad in there, can it be changed?

Many years ago, my dad had to order a copy of his own birth certificate from the government; and discovered that they had his mother's name completely wrong. The beaurocratic rigmarol he would've had to go through to get it corrected was insane, so he just left the error be.

[RabbitHeart]

Hello @chibam 

It definitely is food for thought and I entirely understand the mixed feelings that this concept can provoke. I’ve often had the same thoughts that you’ve mentioned regarding whether something unfavourable or judgemental has been in my government record or medical history.

At the end of the day, I feel that even if something nefarious was not stated in my record, whatever truths are contained within are enough for professionals or healthcare workers to judge me, sadly.

Regarding making changes to your personal information, yes, this is possible under the FOI Act, Access or Change Documents. You can change information about you if it is:

• Incomplete
• Out of date
• Incorrect 
• Misleading

I have been through (and am still going through) this unsettled state of being, regarding obtaining some of my medical records. 

I want to state that it can be a distressing process. Reading through medical history, especially when it relates to your mental illness, can be confronting and possibly re-traumatising. 
Acquiring your medical records is not to be taken lightly and I personally recommend being linked in with professional support to assist you through this process mentally. 
Personally, I’ve found some distressing information in past psychiatrist and intake notes that were documented by Headspace (youth mental health organisation). 

Acquiring your information isn’t all bad though, and if it is important to you, I highly recommend researching the process and obtaining your records from wherever is important to you. 
Anything related to my mental health/illness is a priority to me. It can be empowering to obtain your own information, and we should have the right to, as it is our own experience/body/mind. It can also be informative going forward with your health and journey to recovery or understanding.

If you reside in a state other than Victoria, as my information is mostly based off of Victorian FOI, I recommend starting your research with Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC). 
You can also research the Office of Information Commissioner for the state you live in and reach out to them for more information.

Otherwise, you can try emailing the place you would like to obtain FOI and ask them directly what their process is.

Thank you for responding to my post and I wish you all the best 💕

[RoseGeranium]

@RabbitHeart & @chibam - I wanted to understand what my psychiatric report said from a hospital so my doctor just read it out to me as he couldn't give me a copy for whatever reason.

[tyme]

Interesting @RoseGeranium .

Did he say why he couldn't give you a copy?

I asked for papers once, and they wouldn't give me a copy (maybe they couldn't be bothered making a copy??? Who knows?) So to make it easier, I took a photo of it on my phone and it proved very handy when I sought support from Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission regarding a matter.

[chibam]

@RoseGeranium  @tyme  Just speculating here, but perhaps that's a consequence of the fact that many institutions seem to be veering away from printing things in general? ("Save the trees..." and all that.)

I find it increasingly hard to get paper documentation for my dealings, not just limited to medical/mental health matters.

That being said, I think you should be able to get some sort of copy of your medical/mental health records. I know the last time my mom went in for some sort of scan or x-ray or whatever, the clinic burnt a copy of her scans onto CDROM for her to take home; so even if their not prepared to give you a paper record, you should at least be able to get a digital one, methinks.

[tyme]

Good point @chibam . I'm also thinking that IF it comes digital, you will surely be able to ask them to print it.... I've done that with blood tests. It's all digital, and I just ask for a copy. @RabbitHeart @RoseGeranium 

[illuminate]

Thank you for this info. My GP just have me my recent hospital discharge notes. I wasn’t expecting him to just hand them over with no questions. It was triggering to read some very judgmental comments but also very enlightening and validating.

[RabbitHeart]

Hi @illuminate! Sorry for the delayed response! Yes, it can be very triggering to read such personal information about yourself from a clinical lens. It can be very useful information to have however, and more power to you for having it!