We maintain confidentiality of all patient information in compliance with Privacy legislation. It is the policy of this practice to ensure your medical records and personal health information is secure at all times and is only available to authorised members of staff.

Privacy Policy

Introduction

Hope Medical Centre is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. We understand the importance of personal health information and are dedicated to ensuring that it is handled responsibly and in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) set out in the Privacy Act 1988. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information.

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.

Personal Information we Collect

We may collect the following types of personal information:

• Identification Information: Name, date of birth, gender, address, contact details
•  
• Health Information: Medical history, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment plans, and other health-related information.
•  
• Billing Information: Medicare number, private health insurance details, payment information.
•  
• Emergency Contact and Next of Kin Information: Details of the person we should contact in case of an emergency.
•  
• We may also collect your information: when you visit our websites, send us email or sms, telephone us, make online appointment such as Teleconsult /Telehealth or standard appointment, or communicate with us using social media, electronic prescribing, and My Health Record.
•  
• Photos and medical imagine these can be taken using personal devices for medical purposes following outlined in our guide on using personal devices for medical images.
•  

We collect this information through Best Practice software and various means, including but not limited to, registration forms, consultations, medical records, referrals, Phoneconsults/Telehealth, remote access and communication with our staff.

We ensure that through our systems (Best Practice) only the relevant information such as referrals, sheared health summary and other relevant document are sent to the authorised recipients.

We Store all your personal details in our software Best Practice and only staff and Doctors have access to your file. The Data is backed up by our IT Team, the backup is scheduled every day after hours and its stored securely via cloud base system and protected by Rend Team security team.

How We Use Your Personal Information

Your personal information may be used for the following purposes:

• To provide medical care and treatment.
• To communicate with you regarding your appointments and treatment.
• To process billing and claims with Medicare or private health insurers.
• To comply with legal and regulatory obligations, including mandatory reporting requirements.
• To improve our services and respond to feedback.
• For administrative purposes, including appointment scheduling and reminders.

Disclosure of Personal Information

We may disclose your personal information to the following third parties, if necessary, for the purposes listed above:

• Healthcare professionals involved in your care (e.g., specialists, hospitals).
• Health insurance providers, including Medicare and private health insurers.
• Government bodies, including but not limited to, public health authorities, when required by law.
• Our service providers (e.g., IT support, medical billing services) who assist us in delivering healthcare services.
• In cases of medical emergencies or where required by law.

We will not share your personal information with any other third parties without your consent unless required or permitted by law.

Data Security

We take reasonable steps to protect your personal and health information from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. This includes:

• Secure storage of both paper-based and electronic records.
• Access controls to ensure only authorised staff can access sensitive information.
• Regular review of our data security practices and systems.

Access to Your Personal Information

You have the right to access your personal information held by us. If you wish to obtain a copy of your medical records or request changes to any incorrect information, please contact us. We may charge a reasonable fee for processing and providing access to your records.

Correction of Your Personal Information

If any of your personal information is incorrect or out-of-date, please notify us so that we can update our records accordingly.

Teleconsult

We do not record any teleconsult sessions or webcam consultations. Our practice ensures that verbal consent is obtained from the patient before the teleconsult session begins. This verbal consent is then documented and recorded in the patient’s file for reference.

Consent

By providing us with your personal information, you consent to its collection, use, and disclosure as outlined in this Privacy Policy. If you do not wish for us to collect or use your personal information, please inform us, but please note that without this information, we may not be able to provide you with full healthcare services.

Retention of Personal Information

We will retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. Once your information is no longer required, we will take reasonable steps to securely dispose of it.

Privacy Complaints

If you have any concerns or complaints about how we handle your personal information, please contact us directly. We will work with you to resolve your concerns promptly. If you are not satisfied with our response, you can escalate the matter to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC)

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be communicated through our website or directly to patients, as appropriate.

Further information on Privacy Legislation is available from:
The Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioner on 1300 363 992, https://www.oaic.gov.au
The Health Care Complaints Commission on 1800 043 159. http://www.hccc.nsw.gov.au/

Contact Us– For any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or to access your personal information, please contact us at:

Hope Medical Centre

Phone: 02 9980 8045

Disclaimer

The Privacy policy template for general practices is intended for use as a guide of a general nature only and may or may not be relevant to particular practices or circumstances. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has used its best endeavours to ensure the template is adapted for general practice to address current and anticipated future privacy requirements. Persons adopting or implementing its procedures or recommendations should exercise their own independent skill or judgement, or seek appropriate professional advice. While the template is directed to general practice, it does not ensure compliance with any privacy laws, and cannot of itself guarantee discharge of the duty of care owed to patients. Accordingly, the RACGP disclaims all liability (including negligence) to any users of the information contained in this template for any loss or damage (consequential or otherwise), cost or expense incurred or arising by reason of reliance on the template in any manner.