The NSW Government Confirms There Are Real Risks To Some Children If The myHR Is Not Properly Managed. Pity The ADHA Is In Denial!

I found this advice sheet from the NSW Department of Family And Community Services (FACS) dated October 2018.

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My Health Record for children and young people in out-of-home care (OOHC) – A guide for caseworkers

What is the My Health Record?

The My Health Record is a high level summary of children’s existing health information currently available in other locations. All children in care of the Secretary and the parental responsibility of the Minister will have a My Health Record. The following information can be added to the My Health Record:

Health care provider can add:	Medicare can add:	Individual can add:
·        Information from your doctor called a Shared Health Summary ·        Hospital discharge summaries ·        Reports from scans and tests ·        Medications ·        Doctors referral letters	·        Medicare information, such as visits to your doctor ·        Medicine information from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme ·        Organ donation information ·        Immunisation records	·       Personal Health Notes ·       Emergency Contact Details ·       Indigenous status

The My Health Record was developed by the Australian Government as an online summary of key health information. The record will particularly benefit children and young people with complex health needs and those who have been unable to access consistent health care.

The My Health Record will not change the way the health needs of children in OOHC are currently met

The health needs of children and young people in OOHC will continue to be met through their participation in the OOHC Health Pathway Program which is a joint initiative between FACS and the Ministry of Health. The Pathway aims to ensure that upon entry into care, children and young people receive timely and appropriate health screening, assessment, intervention, monitoring and review of their health needs. The Pathway contains more detailed information relevant for caseworkers and carers than the My Health Record.

For more information about the Pathway, view OOHC Health Pathways: a caseworker’s guide. For further information about the health needs of a child or young person on the Pathway, speak with the OOHC Health Coordinator in your local Health District.

The My Health Record will not change the way information is exchanged about children and young people in OOHC

The My Health Record will not change the way caseworkers exchange information with the NSW Ministry of Health or specified private health professionals.

Caseworkers should continue to exchange information needed to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children or young people. This should be done through the information exchange provisions of part 16A of the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998.

More information about exchanging information related to child protection and wellbeing is available on the FACS website.

Caseworkers will not be required to manage the My Health

Records of children and young people in OOHC

In addition to health related information, the My Health Record will contain personal information, including current address and contact details. For this reason, access to the record must be restricted while the child is in OOHC.

The My Health Record exists in a Commonwealth Government portal that sits outside of FACS, meaning that a FACS central team will need to manage the record restriction. FACS and NGO caseworkers will therefore not be able to view the information in a child or young person’s My Health Record. While a child or young person is in OOHC their record can only be viewed by their health care provider and by FACS centrally. As NGOs will be unable to access the My Health Record Portal, FACS will undertake the process of placing and lifting restrictions on children’s records on their behalf.

Caseworkers will be required to provide information about the My Health Record to young people, their carers and birth parents

FACS and the Australian Digital Health Agency have developed factsheets about the My Health Record specifically for young people, their carers and birth parents.

Caseworkers must ensure these are provided when a child or young person enters care to help everyone to understand:

·                     The benefits of the My Health Record

·                     How potential safety concerns will be managed

·                     The options available to young people to manage their My Health Record when they turn 14 and 18 years.

How can caseworkers find out more about the My Health Record?

More information about the My Health Record is available at MyHealthRecord.gov.au or by contacting the My Health Record Help line on 1800 723 471.

More information about the My Health Record and children and young people in NSW OOHC can be obtained by contacting the Design and Stewardship Unit, Child and Family Directorate at OOHC.Initiatives@facs.nsw.gov.au.

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If I read this correctly FACS is  saying they are so concerned with what might happen they are locking the children who are in OOHC myHR's down to make sure only the doctors can access them and not case workers etc.?

They are clearly concerned re risk of exposing contact details etc. so access to the Child’s myHR will be blocked additionally for all parents, but interestingly FACS will ensure all children in OOHC do have a myHR to have various medical information recorded.

But they are not clear how all this is done that I can see, but seemingly there is some arrangement between FACS and the ADHA.

The bottom line is that the NSW Department sees there is real risk with the myHR for the children in their care. I wonder about those who are not so protected but have similar risk.

David.