Australian Privacy Principles Policy

privacy-policy
Privacy Policy
  • Part A – Purpose and Context

Bushland Beach Medical Centre is committed to ensuring the privacy and confidentiality of all personal information affiliated with the Bushland Beach Medical Centre’s business undertakings.

Bushland Beach Medical Centre follows the terms and conditions of privacy and confidentiality in accordance to the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) as per schedule 1 of the Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Act 2012 (Cth), forming part of the Privacy Act 1988 (‘the Act’).

The purpose of this Privacy Policy is to clearly communicate how Bushland Beach Medical Centre collects and manages personal information.

The point of contact regarding any queries regarding this policy is Mrs Lee White, Practice Manager, ph: 4788 9444 or manager@bushlandbeachmedical.com.au

Part B – Australian Privacy Principles

As a private sector health service provider and under permitted health situations, Bushland Beach Medical Centre is required to comply with the APPs as prescribed under the

The APPs regulate how Bushland Beach Medical Centre may collect, use, disclose and store personal information and how individuals, including Bushland Beach Medical Centre patients may:

address breaches of the APPs by Bushland Beach Medical Centreaccess their own personal information; and correct their own personal information. 

In order to provide patients with adequate health care services, Bushland Beach Medical Centre will need to collect and use personal information. It is important to be aware that if the patient provides incomplete or inaccurate information or the patient withholds personal health information Bushland Beach Medical Centre may not be able to provide said patient with the services they are requesting. 

In this Privacy Policy, common terms and definitions include:

"personal information" as defined by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).  Meaning
"information or an opinion including information or an opinion forming part of a database, whether true or not, and whether recorded in a material format or not, about an individual whose identity is apparent, or can reasonably be ascertained, from the information or opinion"; and,

"health information" as defined by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).  This is a particular subset of "personal information" and means information or an opinion about:

-       the health or a disability (at any time) of an individual;

-       an individual's expressed wishes about the future provision of health services to him or her; or,

-       a health service provided or to be provided to an individual.

Personal information also includes 'sensitive information' which is information including, but not limited to a patient’s:

race;

religion;

political opinions;

sexual preferences; and or,

health information. 

Information deemed 'sensitive information' attracts a higher privacy standard under the Act and is subject to additional mechanisms for the patient’s protection.

Part C – Types of personal information

Bushland Beach Medical Centre collects information from each individual patient that is necessary to provide said patient with adequate health care services.

This may include collecting information about a patient’s health history, family history, ethnic background or current lifestyle to assist the health care team in diagnosing and treating a patient’s condition

Part D – collection & Retention

This information will in most circumstances be collected directly from you via treatment form, medical consult form, face to face consultation etc.

In other instances, Bushland Beach Medical Centre may need to collect personal information about a patient from a third party source. This may include:

relatives; or,

Other health service Providers

This will only be conducted if the patient has provided consent for Bushland Beach Medical Centre to collect his/her information from a third party source; or, where it is not reasonable or practical for Bushland Beach Medical Centre to collect this information directly from said patient. This may include where:

the patient’s health is potentially at risk and his/her personal information is needed to provide them with emergency medical treatment. 

Bushland Beach Medical Centre endeavours to store and retain a patient’s personal & health information electronically onto a domestic server.  

Part E – Purpose of collection, Use & Disclosure

Bushland Beach Medical Centre

    1. Health Professionals to provide treatment

the patient has consented for Bushland Beach Medical Centre to use his/her information for an alternative or additional purpose;

the disclosure of the patient’s information by Bushland Beach Medical Centre is reasonably necessary for the enforcement of criminal law or a law imposing a penalty or sanction, or for the protection of public revenue;

the disclosure of the patient’s information by Bushland Beach Medical Centre will prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to somebody's life or health; or,

Bushland Beach Medical Centre is required or authorised by law to disclose your information for another purpose.

During the patient’s treatment at Bushland Beach Medical Centre he/she may be referred to alternative medical treatment/services (i.e. pathology or radiology) where Bushland Beach Medical Centre’s staff may consult with senior medical experts when determining a patient’s diagnosis or treatment. 

Bushland Beach Medical Centre’s staff may also refer the patient to other health service providers for further treatment during and following the patient’s admission (i.e. physiotherapist or outpatient or community health services). 

These health professionals will be designated health service providers appointed to use the patient’s health information as part of the process of providing treatment. Please note that this process will be conducted whilst maintaining the confidentiality and privacy of the patient’s personal information.

  1. Alternative  Health services

At any point a patient wishes to be treated by an alternative medical practitioner or health care service that requires access to his/her personal/health information Bushland Beach Medical Centrerequires written authorisation. This written authorisation is to state that the patient will be utilising alternative health services and that these health services have consented for a transfer of personal/health information.

  1. Other Third Parties

Bushland Beach Medical Centre may provide your personal information regarding a patient’s treatment or condition to additional third parties. These third parties may include:

  1. parent(s);
  2. child/ren;
  3. close personal friends;
  4. guardians; or,
  5. a person exercising a patient’s power of attorney under an enduring power of attorney.

Where information is relevant or reasonable to be provided to third parties, written consent from the patient is required.  

Additionally, the patient may at any time wish to disclose that no third parties as stated are to access or be informed about his/her personal information or circumstances.

  1.  Other Uses of Personal Information


In order to provide the best possible environment in which to treat patients,
Bushland Beach Medical Centremay also use personal/health information where necessary for:

  1. activities such as quality assurance processes, accreditation, audits, risk and claims management, patient satisfaction surveys and staff education and training;
  2. invoicing, billing and account management;
  3. to liaise with a patient’s health fund, Medicare or the Department of Veteran's Affairs, as necessary; and,
  4. the purpose of complying with any applicable laws – i.e. in response to a subpoena or compulsory reporting to State or Federal authorities.
  5. If at any point or for any of the aforementioned reasons Bushland Beach Medical Centre uses or discloses personal/ health information in accordance with the APPs, Bushland Beach Medical Centre will provide written notice for the patient’s consent for the use and/or disclosure.

Part F – Access and changes to personal information

  1. If an individual patient reasonably requests access to their personal information for the purposes of changing said information he/she must engage with their usual Practitioner.
  2. The point of contact for patient access to personal information is their usual General Practitioner.
  3. Once an individual patient requests access to his/her personal information Bushland Beach Medical Centre will respond within 30 days to provide said information.
  4. All personal will be updated in accordance to any changes to a patient’s personal circumstances brought to Bushland Beach Medical Centre’s attention. All changes to personal information will be subject to patient’s consent and acknowledgement.
  5. If an individual requests access to his/her personal information Bushland Beach Medical Centre will charge $100.

Part G – Complaints handling

  1. Any complaints regarding breaches of the Australian Privacy Principles should be directed to Mrs Lee White, Practice Manager in writing.  If after 30 days you have not received a response or you are unsatisfied with the response you can lodge a complaint with The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC). 

Office of Health Ombudsman:

Ph: 133 646

PO Box 13281 George St, Brisbane Qld 4003

Part H – Personal Information and overseas recipients  

  1. Use of Overseas Parties:
  2. Bushland Beach Medical Centre does not engage with any overseas entities, with which personal or health information would be transferred, appointed or disclosed.

Part i – Disposal of personal/health information

  1. If Bushland Beach Medical Centre receives any unsolicited personal information that is not deemed appropriate for the permitted health situation, Bushland Beach Medical Centre will reasonably de-identify and dispose of said information accordingly.
  2. If Bushland Beach Medical Centre holds any personal or health information that is no longer deemed relevant or appropriate for the permitted health situation, Bushland Beach Medical Centre will reasonably de-identify and dispose of said information accordingly.

Part J – Access to policy

  1. Bushland Beach Medical Centre provides free copies of this Privacy Policy for patients and staff to access, which can be/will be located/provided:

At reception:  Hard Copies provided upon request

On our website: www.bushlandbeachmedical.com.au

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