PRIVACY POLICY

This practice is committed to providing quality healthcare for its patients. As a fundamental part of this commitment principals and staff of the practice, recognise the importance of ensuring that our patients are fully informed and involved in their healthcare.

The Practice is, as a healthcare provider in the private sector, bound by the NATIONAL PRIVACY PRINCIPLES. These principles set the standards by which we handle personal information collected from our patients. A copy of these Principles is available  online at National Privacy Policies

As part of our commitment to providing quality health care it is necessary for us to maintain files pertaining to your health. The files contain the following types of information:

  - Personal details (your name, address, date of birth, medicare number)

  - Your medical history

  - Notes made during the course of medical consultations

  - Digital images taken during your consultation or treatment

  - Referrals to other health service providers

  - Results and reports received from other health service providers.

The information held about you is provided by you or arises as a consequence of information provided by you.

Your file is handled with the upmost respect for your privacy. It will be used by your specialist as part of providing your care. Practice administration staff and Clinical staff will handle your medical records as part of the daily administration of the Practice.

Our staff are bound by confidentiality requirements as a condition of their employment and these requirements will be observed if it is necessary for them to review your records.

At times, to ensure the function of our practice, it may also be necessary to allow external organisations to access our practice and possibly, to view the medical records. Any external organisation that provides services or advice to this practice will be aware of the need to preserve the requirement of the Privacy Act and will be bound by a confidentiality agreement.

Ordinarily we will not release the contents of your medical file without your consent. However, we advise that there may be occasions where we will be required to release the details of your file irrespective of whether your consent to the disclosure of the information is given. This will occur where the law requires disclosure, such as pursuant or subpoena.

We advise that as a patient of this practice you have the rights of access to any information we hold concerning you. Should you wish to access this information please discuss this with your specialist.