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PRACTICE PRIVACY POLICY

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Purpose and objectives

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. 

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. 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 your:
• names, date of birth, addresses, contact details, gender and birth sex
• 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.
Dealing with us anonymously 
You have the right to deal with us anonymously or under a pseudonym unless it is impracticable for us to 
do so or unless we are required or authorised by law to only deal with identified individuals. 
How do we collect your personal information? 
Our practice may collect your personal information in several different ways.
1. When you make your first appointment our practice staff will collect your personal and demographic 
information via your registration. 
2. During the course of providing medical services, we may collect further personal information. 
3. We may also collect your personal information when you send us an email or SMS, telephone us, 
make an online appointment or communicate with us using social media. 
4. 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 Veterans’ Affairs (as necessary).

 
When, why and with whom do we share your personal information?
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 eTP, My Health Record (eg via 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.

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Our practice will not use your personal information for marketing any of our goods or services directly to you without your express consent. If you do consent, you may opt out of direct marketing at any time by notifying our practice in writing. Our practice may use your personal information to improve the quality of the services we offer to our patients through research and analysis of our patient data. We may provide de-identified data to other organisations to improve population health outcomes. The information is secure, patients cannot be identified, and the information is stored within Australia. You can let our reception staff know if you do not want your information included.

 

How do we store and protect your personal information?

Your personal information may be stored at our practice in various forms including electronic records and paper records. Our practice stores all personal information securely and protects personal information in electronic format and is protected in information systems in a secured environment. All information is password protected. All staff and Contractors are bound by confidentiality agreements.

 

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. Our practice acknowledges patients may request access to their medical records. We require you to put this request in writing. Reception can provide Release of Medical Information form and our practice will respond within a reasonable time of 30 days. There is a charge of $25 for administration costs in preparation and releasing of medical records, which is payable at the time of request.

 

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, and you should make such requests in writing to:

Practice Manager practicemanager@miltonfamilymedical.com.au

 

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. You may also contact us regarding your concerns by contacting the following:

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Practice Manager Milton Family Medical Practice 141-145 Princes Highway MILTON NSW 2538 Phone: 02 44544555 Email: practicemanager@miltonfamilymedical.com.au

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Please note we will acknowledge your complaint in writing within 2 business days of receipt. In accordance with our complaint management policy, the investigation process should be completed within thirty (30) business days; however, if there are any delays expected, you will be contacted and informed of the progress accordingly.

 

You may also contact the 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 or call the OAIC on 1300 363 992 The National Privacy Commission is able to receive complaints concerning privacy issues. Complaints here will have a response within 28 days. National Privacy Commissioner Privacy hotline 1300 363 992. GPO Box 5218 Sydney NSW 2001 http://www.privacy.gov.au/complaints Policy review statement.

 

We may change this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any updated versions of this Privacy Policy will be posted on our Site, in our Practice Policies. Changes to the current Privacy Policy, will be effective as of the effective date listed above. Patients continued use of any of our Site and Services constitutes their acceptance and understanding of the Privacy Policy as in effect at the time of their use. If we make any changes to this Privacy Policy that materially affect our practices with regard to the Personal Information we have previously collected from patients, we will endeavour to provide patients with notice in advance of such change by highlighting the change on the Site, or where practical, by emailing clients