Australian Digital Health Agency CEO Tim Kelsey grilled on My Health Record system at National Press Club

THE head of the government agency establishing online health records for every Australian has denied that there is a conspiracy of silence about the new system — and particularly how you can opt out of it.

Opting out of the government’s new online health record system may prove tricky for many. Picture: iStock

THERE is no conspiracy to keep Australians in the dark about the new online health record to be given to every Australian at the end of this year, the head of the agency rolling it out says.

Tim Kelsey has confirmed there will be no national radio, television or newspaper advertising campaign informing Australians the record will be created for them at the end of this year unless they opt out.

Households will not even get a letter explaining the new record, the head of the government’s Australian Digital Health Agency says.

Notice about when the opt-out period would begin and end was released last week under cover of the royal wedding so it got virtually no media coverage.

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The welcome screen for the My Health Record government website. Picture: Supplied

Despite this Mr Kelsey says he’s there is no “conspiracy” to keep people in the dark so the government can maximise the number of people with the new record.

“There is no national opt out rate target, my job is to make sure that everybody is aware of their right to opt out,” he said.

“So, no conspiracy, we are transparently going to be explaining to Australians what those rights are in ways that are suitable and in ways they want us to,” he said.

Trials of the opt-out health record among one million Australians in Sydney and Queensland found two thirds of the population in the trials areas did not even know they had been given a My Health Record.

Fewer than one per cent of people had set up PIN numbers to control who could access sensitive information on the record about mental illness, abortions, sexually transmitted disease and other issues.

Australian Digital Health Agency CEO Tim Kelsey speaking during at the National Press Club in Canberra today. Picture: AAP Image/Lukas Coch

Mr Kelsey could not explain how the agency could be sure every Australian would know they would be given an online health record before the opt-out deadline expires in October.

Mr Kelsey says Australia Post officials, pharmacists and GPs are being trained to tell people about the My Health Record and the communication campaign will be very local.

Research has found people want to be able to talk to people about some of the issues that are raised, he says.

Every Australian will get a My Health Record at the end up this year unless they take action to opt out between during a three-month period starting on July 16.

The government has not yet explained how people can opt out and they cannot do it yet.

Australians can ask the Australian Digital Health Agency to email them instructions about how to opt out when the opt out period begins.

More than 11,000 Australians have already registered for these emails, he said.