Privacy Statement

Dear patients,

We would like to let you know how we look after your privacy.
When you register as a patient of our practice, you provide consent for our GPs and practice staff to access and use your personal information so they can provide you with the best possible healthcare. Our main purpose for collecting, using, holding and sharing your personal information is to manage your health.

What personal information do we collect?
• Names, date of birth, addresses, contact details, emergency contact details, medicare number.
• medical information including medical history, medications, allergies, adverse events, immunisations,social history, family history and risk factors.

How do we collect your personal information?
1. When you make your first appointment our staff will collect your personal and demographic information via our new patient registration form.
2. When providing medical services, we may collect further personal information. Other methods we receive information are “myhealth record” and electronic downloads from hospital or pathology.
3. We may also collect your personal information when you send us an email, telephone us, make an appointment or communicate with us.
4. In some circumstances personal information may also be collected from other sources. Sometimes it is not practical or reasonable to collect it from you directly. This may include the following:
– your guardian or responsible person
– involved healthcare providers, such as specialists, allied health, hospitals, pathology and diagnostic services,etc

Who do we share your personal information with?
• With other healthcare providers, and when sending referrals on your behalf
• When it is required or authorised by law (e.g. court subpoenas)
• When it is necessary to lessen or prevent serious threat to a patient’s life, health or safety or public health or safety
• To assist in locating a missing person
• To establish, exercise or defend an equitable claim, and /or for the purpose of confidential dispute resolution process
• When there is statutory requirement to share information (e.g. diseases or virus mandatory notification)

Only people who need to access your information will be able to do so. Other than in the course of providing medical services or as otherwise described in this policy, our practice will not share personal information with any third party without your consent. We will not share your personal information with anyone outside Australia (unless under exceptional circumstances that are permitted by law) without your consent.

You have the right to request access to, your personal information
Our practice acknowledges patients may request access to their medical records. We require you to put this request in writing and our practice will respond within a reasonable time. We will then contact you to make an appointment for access to records in consultation with your doctor. There will be a fee applicable to the time spent.

How can you lodge a privacy related complaint, and how will the complaint be handled at our practice?
We take complaints and concerns regarding privacy seriously. You should express any privacy concerns you have in writing, to Practice manager for follow up and initial response to your concern. You may also contact the OAIC. The OAIC may require you to give them time to respond, before they will investigate. For further information visit www.oaic.gov.au or call the OAIC on 1300 336 002

Please do not hesitate to ask one of our reception team members for the full version of our practice policy on how we manage your privacy.