Accessing Health Services under 18yrs

Your confidentiality

The law requires doctors and nurses to keep client information private and confidential.

If a doctor or nurse believes a person under the age of 17 needs protection from significant harm, including physical injury and/or sexual abuse, they are required to inform Child Protection as part of the Mandatory Reporting law. If a doctor or nurse is aware of a young person under the age of 16 engaging in sexual activities with someone over 18, they might need to inform the police as part of the Failure to Disclose law.

What is a Mature Minor?

18 is the age of majority, which means that someone is considered an adult, and they can consent to medical treatment.

Depending on a young person’s ability to understand the advice or treatment, they may be considered a Mature Minor. This means they can consent to medical treatment under the age of 18.

Medicare card and healthcare records

To apply for your own Medicare card visit the Medicare website to apply.

14 years old- If a young person is on their family Medicare card, parents/guardians cannot access their medical history/information (including their MyHealth Record) without their permission.

15 years old- People can apply for their own Medicare card. A young person can be on two cards at the same time, so they can stay on their family card, and get their own one.

If someone doesn’t have their card with them, clinics can obtain their Medicare number through a confidential Medicare Hotline. The clinic will need the name, date of birth, and address of the patient.

How to book an appointment

Finding a Health Service:

Not all clinics provide all sexual health services. For example, not all health professionals will prescribe abortion medication or be able to help with Implanon or IUD insertion. Some clinics are more welcoming for queer and trans youth than others. It’s important to do some research before booking.

If a health service conscientiously objects to providing an abortion, they are required to refer the patient to a practice that will provide that service. 1800myoptions has more information about Abortion Laws in Victoria, and how to make a complaint if a healthcare professional does not provide a referral.

Most health clinics will take bookings online through a service like HotDoc, or over the phone.

When looking at a clinic’s website, they might not list sexual health services. However, they might list contraception or women’s health services. Women’s health services often service more than just people with female anatomy.

1800myoptions is an excellent resource to help people find clinics and services near them. Some clinics do not want to be listed on the website, so a phone call (1800 696 784) could provide more results.

When making an appointment, patients can request the gender of the doctor/nurse that they will see. Where possible, clinics will cater for these requests.

Cost:

Many clinics will charge for appointments. Some will bulk bill (no charge) Medicare cardholders.

SHV bulk bills appointments for people aged 21 and under, and people with a Health Care Card.

Procedures and prescriptions may incur additional costs.

Questions to ask during an appointment:

• What are the out-of-pocket costs for this appointment?
• Do I have privacy and confidentiality in this appointment?
• What happens if you need to tell someone else?
• Where is my medical information stored, and what do you do with it?
• If I need medication, what will it cost?
• Can I access an abortion at my age?
• Can I access STI testing and contraception at my age?

Services available at SHV (and other clinics):

Contraception

• Choices
• Effectiveness
• Suitability

STI information, testing, and treatment

• Urine test
• Blood test
• Swab

Pregnancy testing

• Urine test
• Blood test

Pregnancy choice information

• Counselling referral
• Medication abortion
• Surgical abortion referral

Medical information

• General sexual health advice

Some vaccinations

• MPOX
• HPV
• Hepatitis B

IRL link: https://shvic.org.au/schools/app

SHV Box Hill Clinic

901 Whitehorse Rd Box Hill VIC Australia 3128 Google maps directions

Tel: 03 9257 0100 Freecall: 1800 013 952 Fax: 03 9257 0111 Email: [email protected] Book an appointment online

SHV Melbourne Clinic

Level 1, 94 Elizabeth St, Melbourne VIC Australia 3000 Google maps directions

Tel: 03 9660 4700 Freecall: 1800 013 952 Fax: 03 9650 8567 Email: [email protected] Book an appointment online