Sharing health information safely with family and carers

Start with consent

Wherever possible, the person whose information it is should decide who sees it. Even when someone needs support to make decisions, involve them as much as they are able, and respect the wishes they have expressed. For children and adults who cannot consent, parents, guardians or legally appointed decision-makers take on that responsibility — and should still consider what the person would want.

Share what each person needs

A respite carer needs to know about routines, medicines, allergies and emergency plans. A grandparent who babysits needs similar information. A distant relative may not need detailed health information at all. Before inviting someone, ask: what does this person need to know to provide safe, good care?

Avoid insecure habits

• Don’t send photos of prescriptions, Medicare cards or letters in group chats where they can be forwarded or saved on many devices.
• Avoid emailing large unencrypted documents to multiple people when a secure shared record would do.
• Don’t reuse passwords across services, and use a password manager if you can.
• Be careful about sharing identifiable health details on social media, even in private support groups.

Use tools with proper access controls

The safest way to share is through a service where access is by invitation, each person signs in with their own account, and the owner can see who has access and remove it at any time. An activity log that shows who changed what adds accountability and helps catch mistakes. Automatic sign-out after inactivity protects information on shared or lost devices.

Review access regularly

Circumstances change: support workers move on, relationships shift, a respite placement ends. Every few months, look at who can access the record and remove anyone who no longer needs it. It takes a minute and is one of the most effective privacy protections there is.