Privacy: Shared Digital Health Record

We’re making it easier for your doctors and other healthcare providers to access the information they need—no matter where you are in Aotearoa New Zealand.

This helps them give you the best possible treatment and care, when and where you need it.

• Your choice matters: You decide how much of your health information is securely shared with the health professionals caring for you.
• Your privacy is protected: Strong privacy and security controls are in place to safeguard your health information and monitor who accesses it.

People receive healthcare in different places, such as at general practices, community care clinics, or in hospital. This includes when you need emergency care or have travelled away from home and cannot see your usual doctor.

For the best treatment and care, it is important healthcare providers have the latest information about your health. We are making it easier for your health information to be securely shared, so your records are available for your immediate care wherever you are in New Zealand. This information is provided through the Shared Digital Health Record clinical data connector.

Health information sharing already happens in some regions. We are making sure it happens consistently across the country, so your health information can follow you wherever you go.

We are going to hold a copy of some of your information from the IT systems of places like general practice, urgent care and telehealth services. The Shared Digital Health Record will also collect information from national Health NZ databases. This will enable this information to be shared with other approved healthcare providers when they are providing care to you.

The initial health information we collect and share from your general practice will include:

• your allergies and intolerances, for example, an allergy to penicillin
• your medical conditions, such as asthma, diabetes and long-term conditions
• your vital signs like your temperature, heart rate and blood pressure. 

Other information such as appointment details — including clinical notes — may be shared in the future.

Information from Health NZ national databases may also be shared in the future, such as details of:

• prescribed medicines
• immunisation records
• radiology and laboratory results
• hospital information, such as referrals, clinical letters and discharge summaries.

We will keep this page updated as new types of information are shared.

Healthcare professionals will begin to see the health information that is available through the Shared Digital Health Record from mid-2026.

We also hope to share your information directly with you in future. If we do this, we will be able to let you know when we are adding services and give you more choices about what types of information can be shared.

From around mid-2026, it’s expected that the following types of healthcare providers nationwide will be able to view your health information when providing you with care:

• general practice
• urgent care clinics
• after-hours clinics
• hospitals
• ambulance.

We will update this page if new health provider types are added.

Your health information is confidential and only shared with people providing you with treatment and care. There are strict privacy and security controls in place to protect your health information and to monitor who looks at your information.

Your general practice will communicate with patients about the Shared Digital Health Record before they start to share your health information. Some of your health information will then be available for other healthcare providers who are caring for you. 

From mid-2026, some of your health details will be available to other healthcare providers involved in your care.

You can also choose to limit or block your information from being shared. No matter what you decide, you’ll still receive healthcare. 

You have the right to see the health information we collect about you and ask for corrections to be made. We may need to refer you back to your healthcare provider to correct any clinical errors.

You can change your sharing preferences at any time. There will be a short delay before your preferences will be updated.

If you choose not to share, or to withhold some information, we will inform any healthcare providers who try to access your data that you have made that choice. This is so they understand that not all information about your medical history is available. They can ask you directly for additional information if they need to.

To find out more about how your health information is protected, contact us at hnzprivacy@tewhatuora.govt.nz and we can give you a copy of our privacy impact assessment. 

If you have questions about the collection of your health information through the Shared Digital Health Record either:

• talk to your healthcare provider
• call us on 0800 144 751
• email customerservice@health.govt.nz

You can also call or email us to:

• opt out or back into the Shared Digital Health Record
• request a copy of your information in the Shared Digital Health Record.

Download the Shared Digital Health Record opt out or opt in request form

Download the Shared Digital Health Record information request form

If you have a privacy question or complaint, contact hnzprivacy@tewhatuora.govt.nz

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora
PO Box 793
Wellington 6140
New Zealand