Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

Current as of: 24th April 2024

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

Why and when your consent is necessary
When you register as a patient at the practice, you provide consent for the GPs and practice staff to access and use your personal information so they can provide you with the best possible healthcare. Only doctors and staff who need to see your personal information will have access to it. If there is a need to use your information for anything else, your additional consent will be sought from you to do this.

Why do we collect, use, hold and share your personal information?
The doctors and practice will need to collect your personal information to provide healthcare services to you. The main purpose for collecting, using, holding and sharing your personal information is to manage your health. Your information may also used for directly related business activities, such as financial claims and payments, practice audits and accreditation, and business processes (eg staff training).

What personal information is collected?
The information will collected 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.

Dealing with the doctors and the practice anonymously 
You have the right to deal with the doctors and the practice anonymously or under a pseudonym unless it is impracticable to do so or unless there is a requirement or authority by law to only deal with identified individuals.

How is your personal information collected? 
The doctors and the practice staff will collect your personal information:

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, the doctor or the practice staff may collect further personal information.  Information can also be collected through Electronic Transfer of Prescriptions (eTP), MyHealth Record, eg via Shared Health Summary, Event Summary. 
3. Your personal information may also be collected when you visit the Queens Road Surgery website, send an email or SMS, telephone or make an online appointment. 
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 Veteran’s Affairs (as necessary).

When, why and with whom is your personal information shared?
The doctors and practice staff sometimes share your personal information:

• with third parties who work with the 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 Electronic Transfer of Prescriptions (eTP), 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, the doctors, or staff working from this practice, will not share personal information with any third party without your consent.

Your personal information will not be shared with anyone outside Australia (unless under exceptional circumstances that are permitted by law) without your consent.

The practice, or the doctors working at this location, 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. 

The practice may use your personal information to improve the quality of the services we offer to patients through research and analysis of patient data. 

De-identified data may be provided 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 is your personal information stored and protected?
Your personal information may be stored at the practice in various forms including as paper records, as electronic records, as visual (X-rays, CT scans and photos). 

The practice stores all personal information securely.   Electronic records are stored in protected information systems and password protected as per our password policy.  Paper records are stored in a secured and locked environment.  Confidentiality agreements are in place for doctors, staff and contractors.

How can you access and correct your personal information at the practice?
You have the right to request access to, and correction of, your personal information.

The doctors and practice acknowledges patients may request access to their medical records. The request is required in writing either directly at the practice or sent to us by mail and the practice will respond within 30 days.  A fee may be payable for photocopying and for the doctor’s and staff time involved in processing your request.  This fee will be discussed with you prior to proceeding with the request.

The doctors and practice will takes reasonable steps to correct your personal information where the information is not accurate or up to date. From time to time, you will be asked to verify your personal information held by the 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 your doctor or the practice manager and sent to 147 Reynolds Road Mount Pleasant WA 6153.

How can you lodge a privacy complaint, and how will the complaint be handled at the practice?

The doctors and Queens Road Surgery take complaints and concerns regarding privacy seriously. You should express any privacy concerns you may have in writing to the practice manager, 147 Reynolds Road Mount Pleasant WA 6153 Phone: (08) 9316 3535.  The doctors and Queens Road Surgery will then attempt to resolve it in accordance with our resolution procedure within 30 days.   

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.

Privacy and our website 
Collection of personal information occurs when you fill in our feedback form via our website.

Queens Road Surgery endeavour to ensure this website is as secure as possible; however, users need to be aware that the World Wide Web is not a secure medium. Queens Road Surgery take no liability for any interference or damage to a user’s computer system, software or data occurring in connection with our website. We strongly recommend user’s take appropriate measures to ensure their computer is protected against third party interference whilst on the web.

We use google cookies on our emergencies and contact us pages on our website.  A cookie is a small piece of data that our website stores on your computer, and accesses each time you visit, so we can understand how you use our site.

External links to other websites

Our Web pages contain links to external websites.  Once a user decides to click on a link and navigate away from Queens Road Surgery website the privacy policy noted here is no longer in effect. Users are recommended to familiarise themselves with the privacy policies on these websites once they browse and interact with them.

Queens Road Surgery does not encourage the use of email to send or receive patient confidential medical information.  Email communication is not secure and privacy cannot be guaranteed.  Queens Road Surgery’s preferred method of electronic communication is through a secure messaging system such as HealthLink.

Policy review statement
This privacy policy will be reviewed regularly to ensure it is in accordance with any changes that may occur. A current copy of this policy will be displayed on our website and available as a hard copy from the practice. April