Children and young people

Children and young people

Newborns 

When a parent registers their newborn for Medicare they can choose whether the newborn will get a My Health Record. If they choose not to create a record for the child, they can still do so any time before their 14th birthday. 

0 to 14 years old  

For children aged up to 14 years old, a parent/guardian typically manages their record as an authorised representative and makes decisions about access by healthcare organisations. The parent/guardian can view information in the child’s record until the child’s 14th birthday, including clinical documents, Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), Pharmaceutical Benefits Schedule (PBS) and immunisation records. 

14 years and over 

When a child turns 14, the parent/guardian is automatically removed as an authorised representative and they can no longer access the child’s record. This is consistent with the legal rights of a competent minor to seek medical care without the knowledge and consent of a parent/guardian.  

A child can appoint their parent/guardian (or other trusted persons) to be a nominated representative. The nominated representative can view the record or help manage it, depending on the level of access they are granted. A parent/guardian who believes the child does not have capacity to manage their own record can apply to continue to act as the child’s authorised representative and have control of the record.