Privacy

Protecting the Privacy of your Personal and Sensitive Information

Macleay Island Medical operates in accordance with the Commonwealth Privacy Act (1998) and the Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Act (2012).

What information is collected?

At Macleay Island Medical both personal and sensitive information is collected.  Macleay Island Medical only collects personal and sensitive information necessary for the undertaking of functions and activities relating to the services we offer.

How we handle your health information

Our staff are trained to handle your information discreetly and privately. We may collect personal and private information and hold this information on both electronic and hard-copy files.  We also engage in a range of security initiatives to protect your information from loss or misuse (password protected electronic storage and secure management of hard-copy records).  If you have questions about how we handle your information, please speak to your treating medical practitioner or the registered nurse.

How we collect your information?

Information is collected directly from you or from third parties where you have given your consent for third parties to disclose information.

Why we collect health information

We collect information to assist in providing an appropriate service to you and discharge our duty of care and other legal responsibilities.  We also collect information for the normal running of a business, for example, billing purposes.

Consequences of not providing all or part of the information requested

There may be serious complications to your health if we do not know who you are, how to contact you or be able to contact you in a timely manner. Withholding personal health information from your GP or others involved in your health care may put your life or health at risk.

The organizations / persons to whom information is usually disclosed

Health providers involved in your treatment and care may receive selected information from your personal health record. These include pathology, hospital, radiology, medical defense organizations, insurers and specialist services.

Macleay Island Medical will treat your personal and sensitive information with the utmost respect for privacy requirements and will not release this information to any other parties without your express written approval or where required by law to do so.  In some circumstances Macleay Island Medical is legally obliged to disclose information about you in the following circumstances:

• where the Police/Court orders to make records or information available (e.g. subpoenas and search warrants);
• where you pose a danger to yourself or others; and
• where a child or young person is suspected of being harmed or is at risk of harm as defined by the Child Protection Act.

Overseas disclosures

Macleay Island Medical does not generally transmit information overseas, however, in such an unlikely event, the clinic will only transfer personal information to a recipient in a foreign country in circumstances where the information will have appropriate protection and will not release this information to any other parties without your express written approval.

Access to your information

Macleay Island Medical supports your right to see what personal information, including health information, is held about you.  Requests to access information can be made in writing.  If you feel information contained in records are incorrect, you can request for them to be amended.  The outcome of such requests will be provided to you.

Complaints process

All patients, external agencies and other stakeholders have a right to register a complaint regarding the service they receive from Macleay Island Medical.  For further information, please refer to the Macleay Island Medical website: www.mimc.net.au or request a copy of our Complaints Policy from reception.

If you feel that your complaint remains unresolved, you can contact the Complaints Ombudsman by phone on 1300 362 072, online at http://www.ombudsman.gov.au/making-a-complaint/contact-us or by post at GPO Box 442, Canberra, ACT, 2601.