Our practice is committed to best practice in relation to the management of information we collect. This practice has developed a policy to protect patient privacy in compliance with privacy legislation. Our policy is to inform you of:

1. What kinds of personal information do we collect?

The type of information we may collect and hold includes personal information about:

• Your name, address, date of birth, email and contact details

• Medicare number

• Your health information and other sensitive information.

2. How do we collect and hold personal information?

We will generally collect personal information:

• From you directly when you provide your details to us.

• From a person responsible for you

• From third parties where the Privacy Act or other law allows it

3. Why do we collect, hold, use and disclose personal information?

In general, we may collect, hold, use and disclose your personal information for the following purposes:

• To provide health services to you

• To communicate with you

• To comply with our legal obligations which may include mandatory notification of communicable diseases

• To help us manage our accounts and administrative services.

4. How can you access and correct your personal information?

Subject to the exceptions set out in the Privacy Act, you may seek access to and correction of the personal information which we hold about you in accordance with our access policy. If a fee is charged for providing access, you will be advised of the cost in advance. The contact person in this practice is our Medical Secretary - Tarnya Duffy.

5. How can you make a privacy related complaint?

We will take reasonable steps to protect the security of your information and comply with our legal obligations. Our staff are trained and required to respect your privacy. We take reasonable steps to protect information held from misuse, loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

If you have any questions about privacy-related issues or wish to complain about a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles or the handling of your personal information by us, please contact our Privacy Officer.

You may lodge your complaint in writing. Any complaint will be investigated by the Privacy Officer and you will be notified of the making of a decision in relation to your complaint as soon as is practicable after it has been made, usually within 30 days.

6. Are we likely to disclose your personal information overseas?

We may disclose your personal information to the following overseas recipients:

• Any practice or individual who assist us in providing services (such as where you have come from overseas and had your health record transferred from overseas or have treatment continuing from an overseas provider)

• Anyone else to whom you authorise us to disclose it; and

• Anyone else where authorised by law.

7. Updates to this policy

This Policy will be reviewed from time to time to take account of new laws and technology, changes to our operations and other necessary developments.