This privacy policy is to provide information to you, our patient, on how your personal information (which includes your health information) is collected and used within our practice, and the circumstances in which we may share it with third parties.

NATIONAL PRIVACY POLICY

Our practice complies with both laws and the National and Health Privacy Principles (NPPs). This act gives individuals the right to know what information a private sector organization holds about them, the right to access this information and also make corrections if they consider data is incorrect.

• Collection of personal information by an organization
• How an organization may use and disclose personal information in its profession
• Relates to the quality of the data held by an organization
• Organizations must take reasonable steps to make sure the personal information it holds is secure
• Requires an organization to be open about what personal information it holds and its policy on the management of personal information
• Relates to access and correction of personal information held by an organization about an individual, by that individual
• The use of identifiers assigned by a Commonwealth Agency
• Individuals have the option of not identifying themselves when entering transactions with organizations
• Regulates the transfer of personal information held by an organization in Australia
• Limits on when an organization is permitted to collect sensitive information

WHY AND WHEN YOUR CONSENT IS NECESSARY

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 practice requires your signature when registering as a patient of the practice. Only staff who need to see your personal information will have access to it. If we need to use your information for anything else, we will seek additional consent from you to do this.

WHY DO WE COLLECT, USE, HOLD AND SHARE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?

Our practice will need to collect your personal information to provide healthcare services to you. Our main purpose for collecting, using, holding and sharing your personal information is to manage your health. We also use it for directly related business activities, such as financial claims and payments, practice audits and accreditation, and business processes (eg staff training).

WHAT PERSONAL INFORMATION DO WE COLLECT?

The information we will collect about you includes:

• Names, date of birth, addresses, contact details
• Medical information including medical history, medications, allergies, adverse events, immunisations, social history, family history and risk factors
• Medicare number (where available) for identification and claiming purposes
• Healthcare identifiers
• Health fund details
• Gender as identified by the patient
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status
• Country of origin

Sensitive information such as your current and previous medical conditions and family health history are necessary to provide an accurate diagnosis, appropriate treatment and ongoing healthcare. Other personal information is required so that we can contact you about your health and for billing purposes.

HOW DO WE COLLECT YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?

Our practice will collect your personal information:

When you make your first appointment our practice staff will collect your personal and demographic information via your registration. Our practice has a collection statement attached to all new patient registration forms and available at each reception desk.

During the course of providing medical services, we may collect further personal information. We participate in the My Health Record system as shared health summary can be uploaded to your record with written consent. Forms are available from reception and GP’s and Medicare online (Assisted registration form)

We may also collect your personal information when you telephone us

In some circumstances, personal information may also be collected from other sources. Often this is because it is not practical or reasonable to collect it from you directly. This may include information from:

• your guardian or responsible person
• other involved healthcare providers, such as specialists, allied health professionals, hospitals, community health services and pathology and diagnostic imaging services

your health fund, Medicare, or the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (as necessary).

WHO DO WE SHARE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION WITH?

We sometimes share your personal information:

• With third parties who work with our practice for business purposes, such as accreditation agencies or information technology providers, these third parties are required to comply with APPs and this policy
• With other healthcare providers
• When it is required or authorised by law (eg court subpoenas)
• When it is necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to a patient’s life, health or safety or public health or safety, or it is impractical to obtain the patient’s consent
• To assist in locating a missing person
• To establish, exercise or defend an equitable claim for the purpose of confidential dispute resolution process
• When there is a statutory requirement to share certain personal information (eg some diseases require mandatory notification)
• During the course of providing medical services, through MyHealth Record (eg via Shared Health Summary, Event Summary).

Only people that 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.

Our practice will not use your personal information for marketing any of our goods or services.

HOW DO WE STORE AND PROTECT YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?

Our Practice uses Electronic Records to store your personal information.

Our practice stores all personal information securely in electronic formats, in protected information systems by unique usernames and passwords on a terminal server.

HOW CAN YOU ACCESS AND CORRECT YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION AT OUR PRACTICE?

You have the right to request access to, and correction of, your personal information under the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000

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 of 30 days. Our practice has a record request template for patients to complete and sign, specifying what information from the record they are requesting.

Our practice will take reasonable steps to correct your personal information where the information is not accurate or up-to-date. From time-to-time, we will ask you to verify your personal information held by our practice is correct and up-to-date. You may also request that we correct or update your information

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 may have in writing. We will then attempt to resolve it in accordance with our resolution procedure. Feedback forms are located on the Main Reception Counter. We ask for your address and phone numbers to be supplied in order for contact to be made. Alternatively, you may contact the Office of the Health Ombudsman, PO Box 13281 George St, Brisbane, QLD 4003, Phone: 133646, Email: complaints@oho.qld.gov.au

Any complaints to address in writing to The Principal

Gatton Medical Centre 15 William St  Gatton 4343. If not satisfied, to

Office of the Health Ombudsman, PO Box 13281 George Street,

Brisbane 4003 or Telephone: 133 OHO (133 646)

PRIVACY AND OUR WEBSITE

We do not collect personal health information on our Practice website