PRACTICE PRIVACY POLICY
CARDIFF FAMILY PRACTICE
This surgery is committed to providing quality health care for its patients, and we recognise the importance of ensuring that our patients are fully informed and involved in their health care.
We are bound by The Health Records and Information Privacy Act. This Act sets the high standards for the way we handle personal information collected from our patients.
As every patient is aware, it is necessary for us to maintain files pertaining to your health.
These files contain the following information:
- Personal details
- Medical history
- Notes made during medical consultations
- Referrals to other health providers
- Results and reports
Your medical file is handled with the utmost respect for your privacy. The file will be accessed by your medical practitioner, and where necessary by other practitioners in the practice. It will also be necessary for our staff to handle your file to address the administrative requirements of running a medical practice. Our staff are bound by strict confidentiality requirements as a condition of our employment.
Ordinarily we will not release the contents of your medical file without your consent, however we advise that there may be occasions where we will be required to release details, for example, if requested by a subpoena from a court of Law.
We advise that as a patient of this practice, you have rights of access to any information we hold concerning you. Should you wish to access this information, we refer you to our handout entitled “accessing your medical record”. Please see the staff about this.
Should you at any time, have a complaint in relation to the policies of this practice, they should be made in writing, addressed to your doctor, marked “private and confidential”, and it will be attended to as soon as possible.
Information Handling:
Your medical record is a confidential document.
It is our policy that these documents are to remain secure at all times.
Information of any kind can only be given to the patient concerned. If necessary, however, written consent may be given by the patient for alternative arrangements. Before any information is given, an appointment for discussion of this information will be required with your doctor
Recalls:
The practice uses a recall system for the annual review of a variety of health issues.
This recall system is voluntary and concerns those patients who have participated in Diabetes reviews, Hypertension checks, Pap Smears and Health Assessments. Our nurse or practice staff will be happy to discuss the recall system with you if there are any concerns. If you do not wish to be involved in this system please advise reception.
Complaints:
We welcome any inquiries or concerns you may have about the practice. We ask that you address these to the office manager or your doctor.
If you have an issue that you feel needs to be issued by an external body. You can contact The Health Care Complaints Commission on Ph: (02) 9219 7444