Can a doctor disclose my health information to my family members or whanau?

It depends. Disclosure of patient information is usually, but not always, with the authorisation of the patient concerned. The Privacy Act and the Health Information Privacy Code enable the sharing of personal information in appropriate circumstances. But if a patient advises that they do not want their family members to know, this can be respected in some situations but not others. You can find out more here(external link).

In cases involving mental health information, it can be difficult to strike the right balance. For more information, read this blog post(external link).