Introduction

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

Why and when your consent is necessary?

When you register as a patient at Spencer Road Family 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.

Why do we collect, use, hold and share your personal information?

Spencer Road Family Practice will need to collect your personal information to provide healthcare services to you. Our main purpose for collecting, using, holding and sharing your personal information is to manage your health. We also use it for directly related business activities, such as financial claims and payments, practice audits, accreditation and business processes (e.g. staff training).

What personal information do we collect?

The information we collect about you includes your:

• names, date of birth, addresses, contact details
• medical information including medical history, medications, allergies and adverse events, immunisations, social history, family history and risk factors
• Medicare number for identification and claiming purposes
• health care identifiers
• health fund details

Dealing with us anonymously

You have the right to deal with us anonymously or under and pseudonym unless it is impracticable for us to do so or unless we are required or authorised by law to only deal with identified individuals.

How do we collect your personal information?

Spencer Road Family Practice may collect your personal information in several different ways.

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, we may collect further personal information, e.g. My Health Record.
3. We may also collect your personal information when you visit our website, send us an email or SMS, telephone us or make an online appointments.
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 from your directly. This may include information from:
5. your guardian or responsible person
6. other involved healthcare providers, such as specialist, allied health professionals, hospitals, community health services, pathology and diagnostic imaging providers
7. your health fund, Medicare of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

When, why and with whom do we share your personal information?

We sometimes share your personal information:

• with third parties who work with our 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 (e.g. court subpoenas)
• when it is necessary to lessen or prevent serious threat to a patient's life, health or safety or public health or safety, or is impractical to obtain the patient's consent
• to assist in location a mission 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 (e.g. some diseases require mandatory notification)
• during the course of providing medical services, though eTP, My Health Record (via shared Health Summary, Event Summary)

Only people who need to access your information will be able to do so. Other than in the course if providing medical services or as otherwise described in this policy, Spencer Road Family Practice will not share information with any third party without your consent.

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

Spencer Road Family Practice will not use your personal information for marketing any of our goods or services directly to you without your express consent. If you do not consent, you may opt out of direct marketing at any time by notifying our practice in writing.

Spencer Road Family Practice may use your personal information to improve the quality of the services we offer to out patients through research and analysis of our patient data. We may provide de-identified data 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 to be included.

How do we store and protect your personal information?

Your personal information may be stored at our practice in various forms:

1. paper records
2. electronic records

Spencer Road Family Practice stores all information securely. This is done by way of:

• Electronic records can only be accessed using individual passwords. Encrypted backups of all data are performed daily and held securely in the event of a fire etc
• Paper records are stored securely in a staff access area only
• all staff sign a confidentiality agreement before commencing employment

How can you access and correct you personal information at our practice?

You have the right to request access to, and correction of, your personal information.

Spencer Road Family Practice acknowledges patients may request access to their medical records. We require you to put this request in writing and our practice will respond within 30 days upon receipt. Once this request has been considered and approved by the doctor, you will be required to make an appointment with your preferred doctor. There may be an administration or consultation fee associated with this request, depending upon the amount of information held on your patient file.

Spencer Road Family Practice will take reasonable steps to correct your personal information where the information is not accurate or up to date. From time to time, we will ask you to verify that your personal information held by our 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 the office manager at reception@srfp.com.au

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

We take complaints and concerns regarding privacy seriously. You should express and privacy concerns you may have, in writing. We will then attempt to resolve it in accordance with our resolution procedure.

Please contact our practice via the following methods:

1. Postal: Practice Manager, Suite 1/2 Warton Road, Huntingdale WA 6110
2. Email: reception@srfp.com.au
3. In business hours Ph: (08) 9493 8333

Please allow 30 days to receive a response. 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 http://www.oaic.gov.au or call the OAIC on 1300 363 992

Policy Review Date: Annually