For enquiries concerning this policy, you can contact Fiona Brabender – Ph: 8351 2211 reception@galwaymedicalcentre.com

When you register as a patient of this practice, you provide consent for the GPs and practice staff to access and use your personal information to facilitate the delivery of healthcare. Access to your personal information is restricted to practice team members who require it for your care. If we ever use your personal information for purposes other than healthcare provision, we will obtain additional consent from you.

It is important to us that as our patient, you understand why we collect and use your personal information.

The practice collects, uses, stores, and shares your personal information primarily to manage your health safely and effectively. This includes providing healthcare services, managing medical records, and ensuring accurate billing and payments. Additionally, we may utilise your information for internal quality and safety improvement processes such as practice audits, accreditation purposes, and staff training to maintain high-quality service standards.

The information we will collect about you includes your:

• names, date of birth, addresses, contact details
• medical information including medical history, medicines, allergies, and adverse reactions immunisations, social history, family history and risk factors
• Medicare number (where available) for identification and claiming purposes
• healthcare identifier numbers

You can deal with us anonymously or under a 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

The practice may collect your personal information in several different ways:

When you make your first appointment, the practice team will collect your personal and demographic information via your registration.

We may also collect your personal information when you, send us an email or SMS, telephone us, make an online appointment.

In some circumstances, personal information may also be collected from other sources, including:

• Your guardian or responsible person.
• Other involved healthcare providers, such as specialists, allied health professionals, hospitals, community health services, and pathology and diagnostic imaging services.
• Your health fund, Medicare, or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (if relevant).
• While providing medical services, further personal information may be collected via:
  • electronic prescribing
  • My Health Record
  • online appointments

Various types of images may be collected and used, including:

• CCTV footage: Collected from our premises for security and safety purpose
• Photos and medical images: These can be taken using personal devices for medical purposes, following the guidelines outlined in our guide on using personal devices for medical images.

We sometimes share your personal information:

• with third parties 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 (e.g. In referral letters)
• when it is required or authorised by law (e.g. court subpoenas)
• when it is necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to a patient’s life, health or safety or public health or safety, or it is impractical to obtain the patient’s consent
• to assist in locating a missing person
• to establish, exercise or defend an equitable claim
• for the purpose of confidential dispute resolution process
• When it is a statutory requirement to share certain personal information (e.g. some diseases require mandatory notification)
• When it is provision of medical services, through electronic prescribing, My Health Record (e.g. via Shared Health Summary, Event Summary).

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

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

The practice will not use your personal information for marketing any goods or services directly to you without your expressed consent. If you do consent, you may opt out of direct marketing at any time by notifying the practice in writing.

The practice may use your personal information to improve the quality of the services offered to patients through research, analysis of patient data for quality improvement and for training activities with the practice team

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 reception staff know if you do not want your information included.

Document automation is where systems use existing data to generate electronic documents relating to medical conditions and healthcare.

The practice uses document automation technologies to create documents such as referrals, which are sent to other healthcare providers. These documents contain only your relevant medical information.

These document automation technologies are used through secure medical software Medical Director.

All users of the medical software have their own unique user credentials and password and can only access information that is relevant to their role in the practice team.

The practice complies with the Australian privacy legislation and APPs to protect your information. All data, both electronic and paper are stored and managed in accordance with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Privacy and managing health information guidance.

Your personal information may be stored in various forms.

All blood test, scans, xrays photos etc. are stored in electronic files on Medical Director, this program is only accessible through a password protected system, with 2FA two factor authentication.

All staff, doctors and nurses have their own secure passwords to log into the software.

All staff sign a confidentiality agreement on commencement of employment.

Our CCTV is only used in public areas including the carpark – not in treatment or consulting rooms and is only able to be accessed by authorised personnel and is stored securely and password protected.

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

The practice acknowledges patients may request access to their medical records.

All requests to access records must be sent to the practice manager for discussion with the GP. Email reception@galwaymedicalcentre.com

The practice will respond to any requests to access or correct your personal information within one week in most cases if the GP is not available it may be longer.

The practice will take reasonable steps to correct your personal information where the information is not accurate or up to date. Sometimes, we will ask you to verify your personal information held by the practice is correct and current. You may request we correct or update your information. To do this please contact via telephone or email reception@galwaymedicalcetnre.com.

We take complaints and concerns regarding privacy seriously. You should express any privacy concerns you may have. We will then attempt to resolve it in accordance with the resolution procedure. These complaints will be responded to within one week.

Our contact details are – Phone: 8351 2211 – Email: reception@galwaymedicalcentre.com

If you do not feel we have resolved your issue You may also contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner will require you to give them time to respond before they investigate. For further information visit www.oaic.gov.au or call the OAIC (Office of the Australian Information Commissioner) on 1300 363 992.

At Galway Medical Centre, any personal information you share with us through, email, is handled securely and confidentially.

Our privacy policy is regularly reviewed to ensure compliance with current obligations.

If any changes are made:

• They will be reflected on the website.
• Significant changes may be communicated directly to patients via email or other means.

Please check the policy periodically for updates. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.