The National Immunisation Register - HE2423
Information for adults talking about the National Immunisation Register, and why it is important that immunisation information is recorded.
The full resource:
Information for adults about where your immunisation details are held.
Information about the immunisations you’ve had today will be recorded in the Ministry of Health’s National Immunisation Register (NIR).
The NIR will make sure that information about your immunisations is kept up to date, even if you change your doctor or go to a health service in another part of the country.
The NIR is also used to help control diseases by providing information about immunisation coverage across the population.
What information is recorded on the NIR?
The following details will be recorded:
- your name, address, date of birth, sex, ethnicity and health number (National Health Index or NHI) 1
- your health care provider
- this vaccination.
The NIR will also be able to record if you choose not to immunise for a particular vaccine, or if there are medical reasons not to do so.
Only authorised health care providers can see, add or change the information held on the NIR. These may include your family doctor, nurse, midwife or other health professional.
Can I withhold my information from the NIR?
The NIR provides valuable information about the population’s protection against disease. If you do not want your immunisation details recorded on the NIR, let your health care provider know. Your immunisation will be recorded at your general practice but not on the NIR.
For more information about the NIR
- Talk to your family doctor or nurse.
- Call your local public health service.
- Contact the NIR administrator at your district health board (DHB). Check out the immunisation page on the Ministry of Health website http://www.health.govt.nz/immunisation
1 The National Health Index is a number given to each individual when they are born and has been part of the New Zealand health system for many years. The NHI number makes it easier for health care providers to identify each individual patient.