Who Holds the Record · country brief · data as of 2026-10-02Who holds the health record in New Zealand?
In 2026, New Zealand scores 48 of 100 on a person's right to see, control and share their own health record: rank 47= of 65 countries, in the Mixed band (45 to 64). Who holds the keys: Shared. Source: Who Holds the Record, SuperTruth, data as of 2026-10-02.
New Zealanders get records free from public agencies, but the national shared record is not live and a 2025 portal hack exposed nearly 100,000 patients.
Published · updated · data as of 2026-10-02 · research tool, not legal advice
Can I get my health records in New Zealand?
Access to the full record scores 55 of 100 in New Zealand, against a median of 62 across 65 countries. The health privacy code gives a right to your records within 20 working days, free from public agencies. The national My Health Record shows only immunisations, COVID-19 results and some identity details; fuller views sit in private GP portals.
Can I control who sees my health record in New Zealand?
Control and consent scores 47 of 100 in New Zealand, against a median of 52 across 65 countries. Today choices are narrow: people can restrict their national immunisation record, and some regional shared records allow opt-out. The national Shared Digital Health Record, with opt-out, item blocking and access summaries, has not started sharing.
Eight rights, against Australia and the EU
| Patient access to the full record20% | 55 | 70 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patient control and consent20% | 47 | 68 | |
| Privacy and security15% | 50 | 62 | |
| Connected care journey15% | 40 | 70 | |
| Protection from commercial use10% | 52 | 65 | |
| Clinician access at the point of care10% | 40 | 66 | |
| Research and trial consent5% | 50 | 50 | |
| Clinical AI governance5% | 40 | 55 |
Black dot: New Zealand. Hollow dots: Australia (scores on the right, same order). Grey line: median of all 65 countries. Dashed teal line: EU median. Overall: New Zealand 48, EU median 61. Scores move in steps of about 5; gaps of 4 or less are ties.
What would New Zealand need to change to score higher?
New Zealand sits in Mixed (45 to 64); Strong starts at 65. The two rights furthest below the 65-country median, weighted, are connected care journey (40, median 62) and clinician access at the point of care (40, median 58). The published rubric reads:
- Connected care journey: Primary care, hospitals, labs, pharmacy, claims and public health linked to one record and used at national scale.
- Clinician access at the point of care: Treating clinicians able to see the full record across providers, under consent and emergency rules.
Which laws give health record rights in New Zealand?
- Privacy Act 2020 (2020): General privacy law; breach notification, compliance notices, fines up to $10,000 for failing to notify.
- Health Information Privacy Code 2020 (2020): Health-specific rules on collection, security, access, charges and disclosure for health agencies and insurers.
- Health Information Privacy Code 2020 Amendment No 2 (2026): Adds rule 3A: tell people when health data is collected from someone else. In force 1 May 2026.
Strain and split context, not scored
- Doctors per 10,000
- 37.7 2024 · OECD 19 of 38
- Nurses and midwives per 10,000
- 131 2024 · OECD 7 of 38
- Private insurance + out-of-pocket
- 17.5% 2023 · OECD 24 of 35
- Record reaches private care?
- partial
"radiology reports (hospital imaging and private reports copied to the system)"
Published stories
- 2025-06-16 · Office of the Privacy Commissioner (New Zealand), Case Note 329225 [2025] NZ Priv Cmr 1 Agency mailed a person's health information to the wrong house
- 2026-09-23 · Stuff Portal and Health NZ ordered to fix security after 99,416 patients' data exposed
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