Our Privacy Policy
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 with our practice, and the circumstances in which we may share it with third parties.
Collection of information
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. 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.
Types of information collected
We collect and store personal information that includes, but is not limited to, sensitive information regarding your health and personal details. This information can identify you and will be used to provide you with the medical services you require.
What personal information do we collect?
The information we will collect about you includes:
- Name, date of birth, addresses, contact details
- Medical information including medical history, medications, allergies, adverse events, Immunisations, social history, family history and risk factors.
- Medicare numbers / Veteran Affairs numbers (where available) for identification and claiming purposes
- Healthcare identifiers
- Health fund details
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
Who do we share your personal information with?
We sometime 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 the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) and this policy
- With other healthcare providers
- When it is required or authorized 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 patients 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 Transfer of Prescriptions (eTP), MyHealth record (ed vis shared health summary, event summary).
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.
How do we store and protect your personal information?
Your personal information may be stored at our practice in various forms. This may be in the form of paper records, electronic records, pathology results, imaging results (such as X-rays and CT scans)
Our Medical practice stores all personal information securely. All paper files are securely locked. The data within the practice management system is password protected. All the information is backed up daily to our server, and backed up daily to a disc drive.
How can you access and correct your personal information at our practice?
You have the right to request access and correct or update your personal information.
Our practice acknowledges patients may request access to their medical records. We require you to put this request in writing. Patients will not be charged for making this request – only the costs of complying with the request. Please contact us in relation to the costing.
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 that your personal information held by our practice is correct and current. You may also request that we correct or update your information. All requests to be made in writing to Forrest Road Medical Centre.
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. Please send all request to practicemanager@forrestroadmedical.com.au or post to our mailing address at 2/65 Forrest road, Padbury 6025 WA. We will respond to your request within 30 days of receipt.
You may also contact the Office of Australian Information Commission (OAIC). Generally, the OAIC will require you to give them time to respond, before they will investigate. For further information visit www.oaic.gov.au (http://www.oaic.gov.au) or call the OAIC on 1300 336 002.
Policy review statement
This policy will be reviewed by Forrest Road Medical Centre Management on a regular basis to ensure that it continues to adhere to the Australian Privacy Principles. Medical Centre staff will place a notice up to advise patients of any update to policy.
