Restricted access readiness

In line with the Health Information Privacy Code 2020, Health NZ and other health agencies can only collect, access and use consumer information in the AIR for lawful purposes connected to the functions of their agencies and the purposes for which the AIR is provided.

Health New Zealand has a responsibility to ensure that the health information held is protected by security and privacy safeguards.

Everyone who has access to the AIR is trained to keep this information safe. Direct access to the information remains limited to those with logon access rights, and all access is recorded and can be audited.

Restricted access gives consumers choice over how their immunisation data is managed and shared in the Aotearoa Immunisation Register (AIR). Health New Zealand supports consumers having control over their health care and health information.

If a consumer wishes to limit how their immunisation history will be accessed, they can request that access to their information is restricted.

View the request form

A consumer can change their mind at any time. They can use the same form as above to request for their restrictions to be lifted.

Consumers can request to restrict access to the immunisation history for children in their care (aged 16 years and under), or other dependents, if they have legal authority to do so, when that person cannot make the request themselves.

• Health care providers may not have access to their full immunisation history, which could affect the services and care provided to them, this includes public health advice on quarantine measures and advice on what vaccines they are due to receive.
• Health New Zealand won't proactively contact them about immunisation services they’re eligible for or send immunisation reminders. However, their doctor may continue to do this unless they ask them not to.
• We recommend that consumers keep their own records and inform healthcare providers about their immunisation history.
• Having a copy of their immunisation records will be important in some situations, for example if they are identified as a contact of someone with an infectious disease such as measles. In these situations, if they do not have their vaccination records available, they may need to quarantine until their immunity can be confirmed. Please note that quarantine means they must stay at home and not leave the house except to access health care.
• They might miss out on getting information about free immunisation programs and whānau events.

The provider who delivered the vaccination will continue to be able to see that immunisation record in the system they used to record it. This is part of fulfilling the legal requirement for health providers to keep complete and accurate records of any health service they provide.

Consumers with restricted access applied to their immunisation records will not appear in reports sent to any HNZ Data Sharing Partners, such as Hauora Māori Partners (Māori Health Providers) and Primary Health Organisations. HNZ may access their records for population level statistical analysis, but they will not be able to be identified.

Health New Zealand will not proactively contact them about free immunisation services that they are eligible for unless there is an emergency which requires this. However, their doctor and other health services may still contact them about immunisations.

If asked to do so by a consumer’s health care provider, HNZ may contact them about standard immunisations for their children to help ensure they are appropriately informed about protecting their children from unnecessary illness. If they decline an immunisation for their child, HNZ will cease further follow-up about that immunisation.

The immunisation handbook provides advice for how to proceed without a documented history of vaccination. If health practitioners are unable to view a consumers vaccination history, it is recommended that they initiate a conversation about what vaccines the consumer may or may not have previously received. Vaccinators are advised to use their clinical judgement, in consultation with the consumer, when deciding whether a vaccination is appropriate to administer.

If a consumer chooses to restrict access to their immunisation records, this will restrict access to all of their immunisation records for all providers. The AIR currently does not have the capability to apply restricted access to specific records or providers.

Where possible, consumer’s consent will be gained to access their restricted immunisation records. However, there may be situations where it is not practical to do this such as in the event of an emergency which may seriously threaten a consumer’s health or the health of others. In this case Health New Zealand reserves the right to access information needed to reduce that threat. It is important to note that in these situations, there is a technical limitation that requires up to a 72-hour service delay.

No, you cannot upload old immunisation records to the AIR without the consumer’s documented consent. These old records were created before the AIR and were not sent to the previous register.  For future vaccinations, vaccinators have an informed consent conversation at the time of vaccination with consumers. This conversation includes informing them that their records will be collected in the AIR, explaining how and why this data is used, and how their information is safeguarded. The AIR privacy brochure can be used to support these conversations.