Health and medical information

Health and welfare records research guide

State Library Victoria has a separate guide dedicated to researching health and welfare records. The purpose of the guide is to assist family historians to find historical health and welfare records. Focusing on Victorian records, this guide provides information and links to resources that are available at State Library Victoria and other relevant agencies.

Health Records Act

The Health Records Act 2001 (the Act) created a framework to protect the privacy of individuals' health information. It regulates the collection and handling of health information. The Act:

• gives individuals a legally enforceable right of access to health information about them that is contained in records held in Victoria by the private sector; and
• establishes Health Privacy Principles (HPPs) that apply to health information collected and handled in Victoria by the Victorian public sector and the private sector.

The access regime and the HPPs are designed to protect privacy and promote patient autonomy, whilst also ensuring safe and effective service delivery, and the continued improvement of health services. The HPPs generally apply to:

• all personal information collected in providing a health, mental health, disability, aged care or palliative care service; and
• all health information held by other organisations.