Accessing your medical records

If you need a copy of your most recent discharge summary from Western Health, you can:

• Check your My Health Record – if you gave us consent, your discharge summaries, pathology, and diagnostic reports should all be available there.
• Email the Medical Record Services Department at requests@wh.org.au. Your doctor or specialist can also use this email address to request your records.

My Health Record is a secure online summary of your key health information. You can access it anytime, anywhere.

You can view:

• your medical conditions and treatments
• any medicines you’re taking
• your allergies
• test and scan results.

Your healthcare providers, such as doctors, specialists and hospital staff, can view and add to your record. You can also choose to share your record with trusted people.

How My Health Record can help you

• Download proof of your vaccinations, including your COVID-19 digital certificate.
• If you can't leave the house and are having a telehealth consultation, your healthcare provider can check your My Health Record.
• Provide important information to doctors in an emergency or while travelling.

Giving your consent to Western Health

Western Health uploads discharge summaries, pathology and diagnostic reports to My Health Record. If you do not wish us to add your information to your record, please let us know each time you come to the hospital, or update your preferences within the platform. 

Find out more about My Health Record

Visit the Australian Digital Health Agency’s website or call 1800 723 471 for general enquiries or concerns.

Under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 1982 (Vic), you have the right to access your medical records held by Western Health – unless an exemption applies. 

You can also request:

• Changes to your records if you believe the information is inaccurate or misleading
• records on behalf of someone else (with appropriate authority).

We hold records for services across the following locations: 

• Sunshine Hospital (including Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s)
• Footscray Hospital
• Bachhus Marsh Hospital
• Williamstown Hospital
• Sunbury Day Hospital
• Bachus Marsh Community Health Centre
• Melton Health Hub
• Melton Community Services
• Grant Lodge Residential Aged Care
• Caroline Springs Community Health Centre
• Hazelden Transition Care
• Aged care and wellbeing units, including Aged Persons Mental Health Unit and Special Dementia Care Unit
• Mental health and wellbeing units, including services operated as Mid-West Area Mental Health Services prior to 1 July 2023.

Mental health record requests

Western Health partners with several organisations to provide mental health services onsite at Sunshine Hospital and Footscray Hospital. These include the Mercy Mental Health Program and the Orygen Specialist Program. 

If your request is solely about a service provided by one of these organisations, please use the contact details below. 

Mercy Mental Health Program

Email: mmhfoi@mercy.com.au

Orygen Specialist Program (previously Orygen Youth Health)

Email: FOIrequest@mh.org.au

How to make an FOI request

To request access to your records:

1. Complete the FOI Application Form.
2. Pay the $32.70 application fee.
3. Email or mail the form to the FOI Department.

Statutory Duty of Candour

If you are under the Statutory Duty of Candour process, please contact your dedicated family contact before completing this form.

Obtaining another person’s records

You may only obtain another person's health information if you have their written authority to do so. This may be written consent from the individual or the legal documents that support your request.

You can download a copy of the Authority to Release Health Information Form, or you may use your own template.

If you believe the health or personal health information contained in your medical record is inaccurate, incomplete, out of date or misleading, you can submit a request to have it amended. 

Your amendment request must:

• be made in writing
• explain how the information is inaccurate, incomplete, out of date or would give a misleading impression, and provide supporting evidence
• be clear and specific about what kind of amendments or corrections you are seeking.

To request an amendment:

• Download the Section 39 FOI Amendment Request Form or visit the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner (OVIC) website.

Please note: We cannot delete original information but can add corrections or notations. No fees apply to amendment requests unless you are also seeking copies of records.
 

Specific requests

• For time of birth requests, please complete the Time of Birth request Form.
• For adoption-related records, please complete the Request for Medical Records Relating to Adoption Application Form.
• If you are requesting a deceased person’s medical records, you must provide ID showing you are the senior next of kin (e.g. death certificate and birth certificate) or legal authority (e.g. a copy of the will if you are the executor). 

Fees and charges

Concession fee waiver: If you hold a current Health Care Card or Pension Card, you may not need to pay the application fee. Please include a copy of your card with your request.

You’ll receive a decision within 30 days. We will contact you if an extension is needed or more information is required. 

Please note: All fees must be paid before we release any documents.

Email: foi@wh.org.au

Mail: Freedom of Information (FOI), Western Health, Locked Bag 2, Footscray, VIC 3012

Phone: (03) 8345 6352 (Tuesday to Thursday, 11am–12pm only)

If you’re not happy with a decision

If you disagree with the outcome of your FOI request, you can ask for a review through the following services:

• Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner (OVIC)

Website: ovic.vic.gov.au

• Health Complains Commissioner (for health information)

Website: hcc.vic.gov.au