1. In accordance with section 6(1) of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act),all information collected in this medical practice is treated as ‘sensitive information’. To protect your privacy, Hobsons Bay Paediatrics (the Practice) operates in accordance with the Privacy Act and its Privacy Policy. Your personal information is kept private and secure, as required by federal and state privacy laws. Please refer to our Privacy Policy for full details of how we handle your personal information, including how you may access and seek correction of your personal information, complain about a privacy breach, and how we will deal with that complaint. Our Privacy Policy is available from reception or on our website www.hobsonsbaypaediatrics.com.au
2. Hobsons Bay Paediatrics collects personal information pertaining to your child and your family for purposes related to (or in the case of sensitive information, directly related to) our functions or activities, including facilitating the delivery of health services to you from your health practitioner, informing you of services which may be relevant to you and to communicate with you on behalf of your health practitioner. We may not be able to facilitate the delivery of health services from your health practitioner to you if you do not provide this information. Your personal information may be disclosed to our related bodies corporate, health practitioner, and third-party services providers.
3. Your health practitioner uses the information you provide to manage your health care, which may include using the information for the following purposes (including instructing the Practice to use the information for the following purposes on your health practitioner’s behalf):
Collecting, recording and storing your personal and health information that will form part of an individual computerised medical record.
Issuing reminders for specific health checks that you may require, if any, as part of your consultation with your health practitioner.
Providing you with health information updates, general medical updates and providing your personal and health information to the relevant state and/or national recall reminder registers.
Using your personal and health information to undertake, however not limited to, administrative tasks involved in the running of the Practice, and for your health practitioner, billing tasks which includes compliance with Medicare, Health Insurance Commission and other relevant Government agency requirements.
4. Selected information may be disclosed to various other health care providers involved in supporting your health care management (e.g. pathology and imaging providers, hospitals or other specialists). You hereby acknowledge and consent to the disclosure and/or use of your personal health information by the Practice, your health practitioner and persons directly or indirectly involved in your personal health care or medical treatment for that purpose, including:
Sending specimens obtained from you to the necessary pathology provider for analysis. As a result, you understand that you may incur an out-of-pocket expense, by which a separate invoice will be issued by the relevant pathology provider. You understand that you will be liable for all expenses incurred.
Disclosing your personal and health information to the relevant medical and allied health service providers involved in your care.
Communicating with your teachers and/or other professionals involved in your care, where you have requested or separately consented that we may do so.
Disclosing de-identified personal and health information for research and quality assurance purposes undertaken by your health practitioner to improve the quality of both individual and community health care needs and medical practice management. The Practice will inform you when such activities are being conducted and give you the opportunity to ‘opt-out’ of any involvement at any time.
Using your personal and health information by your health practitioner and other authorised individuals involved in your medical care and treatment, both directly and indirectly.
Disclosing for legal related purposes as requested and required by a court or other regulatory body.
For medical training/teaching purposes where de-identified information is disclosed to medical students and staff.
For disease notification as required by the law.
5. You are not obliged to provide information requested of you, however your failure to do so may compromise the quality of care provided to you by your health practitioner.
6. You understand it is your responsibility to inform the Practice at the earliest opportunity of any changes to your personal and health information. If any information held about you is inaccurate, you may request to have this altered accordingly.
7. You understand your right to access both your personal and health information held by the Practice, except in circumstances where access is legitimately withheld. If your personal and health information is to be used for any other purpose, other than what is set out above, your further consent will be obtained.
If you have any questions regarding the management of your personal health information or need to arrange access to your records, please ask reception or your health practitioner, as appropriate.