Client Privacy Policy

This privacy policy is to provide information to you, our client, 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 client 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 that needs 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?

Bullinah Aboriginal Health Service 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 and accreditation, and business processes (e.g. staff training).

What personal information do we collect?

The information we will collect about you includes your:

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

Dealing with us anonymously

You have the right to 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.

Please notify reception if you prefer to be referred to as a different name.

How do we collect your personal information?

Bullinah 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. Please see second page of registration form for information about who can access your personal information.
  2. During the course of providing medical services, we may collect further personal information. Information can also be collected through My Health Record, via a Shared Health Summary or an Event Summary.
  3. We may also collect your personal information when you visit our website, send us an email or SMS, telephone us, make an online appointment or communicate with us using social media.
  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 it from you directly. This may include information from:
    • 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 (as necessary).

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 (eg court subpoenas)
  • when it is necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to a client’s life, health or safety or public health or safety, or it is impractical to obtain the client’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 there is a statutory requirement to share certain personal information (eg some diseases require mandatory notification)
  • during the course of providing medical services, through My Health Record (e.g. 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 of providing medical services or as otherwise described in this policy, Bullinah will not share personal information with any third party without your consent.

We will not share your personal information with anyone outside Australia.

Our service will not use your personal information for marketing any of our goods or services directly to you without your express consent.

If you do consent, you may opt out of direct marketing at any time by notifying our practice in writing.

How do we store and protect your personal information?

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

Bullinah Aboriginal Health Service stores your personal information as electronic records which are protected by individual staff security password access codes, and staff and contractors confidentiality agreements.

Our service stores all personal information securely.

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

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

Bullinah Aboriginal Health Service acknowledges clients may request access to their medical records. We require you to put this request in writing and our practice will respond within a reasonable time. All requests will be actioned within 30 days. Clients are not required to pay for access to their medical records.

Our service 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 Clinical Services Manager at the following email address:- csm@bullinahahs.org.au

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

We take complaints and concerns regarding privacy seriously. You should express any privacy concerns you may have in writing and address them to the Clinical Services Manager at csm@bullinahahs.org.au or 120 Tamar Street, Ballina, NSW, 2078. We will then attempt to resolve it in accordance with our resolution procedure and within a 30 day timeframe.

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 www.oaic.gov.au or call the OAIC on 1300 363 992.

Privacy and our website

Bullinah Aboriginal Health Service may collect your personal information if shared on our website or if bookings and communications are made through our website.

Policy review statement

Bullinah Aboriginal Health Service will review this policy annually or in line with any changes to Commonwealth or State legislation. All clients will be notified via Bullinah’s website; community notice board and the practices quarterly community newsletter.

For all other Human Resources policies and procedures please refer to the ‘Bullinah Aboriginal Health Service Human Resources Policy Manual’.

RACGP 5th edition Standards C6.3