Privacy & Communication

Coogee Family Medical Centre (CFMC) is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring safe, accurate, and efficient communication with all patients.

We manage all personal information in accordance with Australian privacy legislation and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Standards, ensuring confidentiality, security, and continuity of care.

The personal information we collect may include your name, date of birth, address(es), contact details, Medicare number, healthcare identifiers, health fund details etc. Additionally, other / medical information may include behavioural / social history any other relevant details necessary to provide healthcare, as determined by the doctors (GPs) or staff at Coogee Family Medical Centre. This is required to deliver safe, effective, and high-quality care.

Our practice follows the guidelines of the RACGP’s Privacy and managing health information in general practice resource. The resource incorporates federal and state privacy legislation, and the Australian Privacy Principles, which requires that your personal information is kept private and secure.

In this practice, it is normal for all GPs to have access to your medical records. If you have any concerns about this, please discuss them with your GP or practice staff.

It is important that other people involved in your care, such as medical specialists and other healthcare professionals, are informed of the relevant parts of your medical history, so they can provide the best care for you. You can speak to your GP for to have more clarity on this.

GPs respect your right to decide how your personal information is used or shared. For example, this may be sharing your health information with specialist doctors. Personal information that identifies you will only be sent to other people with your consent, unless there are exceptional circumstances. Gaining your consent is the guiding principle used by this practice in using and sharing your information.

Our practice will not share your personal health information with anyone else or another organisation unless:

• You have consented to this sharing, or
• They are legally obliged to disclose the information, in which case your GP will first discuss with you the information that she or he is legally obliged to disclose, or
• The information is necessary for you to obtain Medicare payments or other health insurance rebates, or
• There is an overriding public health and safety interest in the release of the information.​​​​

In the above cases, only information necessary to meet the requirements will be provided. Your health information will not ordinarily be sent overseas unless:

• You are informed and provide consent for this to occur, and
• The overseas country receiving the information has privacy laws that are very similar to the Australian Privacy Principles.

This practice may use patient health information to assist in improving the quality of care we give to all our patients, by reviewing the treatments used in the practice.

Your information held by the practice may be used in research projects to improve healthcare in the community; however, this information will not include data that can identify you.

The information is secure and is stored within Australia. You can let our reception staff know if you do not want your information included.

The information used for research, including the publication of research results, will not be in a form that would allow you to be identified, unless the research serves an important public interest. In such cases, identifiable medical records can be used for medical research without your consent under guidelines issued by the Australian Government. Before providing such identified information, your GP will discuss with you the information that she or he is obliged to disclose.

Your personal and health information is stored securely in electronic and/or paper format. We take reasonable steps to protect your information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. These steps include:

• Secure clinical software systems with password-protected access
• Role-based access for staff (only authorised staff can access your information)
• Data backup systems and secure servers located in Australia
• Physical security measures for paper records
• Staff training in privacy and confidentiality obligations

Our practice uses ‘Best Practice’ as clinical software to manage patient records and generate documents including referral letters, care plans, and summaries.

When using these systems:

• Only relevant and necessary medical information is included in documents such as referrals
• GPs review all correspondence before it is sent
• Templates are designed to minimise the inclusion of unnecessary personal information
• We take reasonable steps to ensure your privacy is protected when using automated systems

Our practice does not routinely record consultations (audio and video components).

If a consultation (including telehealth) is to be recorded, duplicated, or stored (audio or video):

• Your informed consent will be obtained before any recording takes place

• You will be told why the recording is needed and how it will be used and stored

• You have the right to refuse or withdraw consent at any time

• Recordings will be stored securely and handled in accordance with privacy laws

When providing care via telephone or video consultation:

• We take reasonable steps to ensure your privacy is maintained
• Consultations are conducted using secure platforms where possible
• The same privacy and confidentiality standards apply as for in-person consultations

You may ask practice staff about any aspect of your healthcare, including information contained in your record. You can request access to your medical record and any other information the practice records about you.

If you request access to your medical record, your GP will need to consider if there may be a risk of physical or mental harm to you or any other person that may result from disclosure of your health information. Your GP may need to remove any information that will affect the privacy of other individuals.

Sharing information is important for good communication between you and practice staff. Your GP can provide a full explanation of the health summary or medical record you are provided access to.

Depending on what is involved, you may be asked to contribute to the cost of providing the information.

This practice does not engage in direct marketing.

If you have any concerns regarding the privacy of your personal health information or the accuracy of the information held by the practice, you should discuss these with practice staff. Inaccurate information can be corrected, or your concerns noted in your record. For legal reasons, the original notes will be retained.

If you have questions or a complaint about the privacy of your personal information, please ask to speak to the privacy contact officer at the practice

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner

1300 363 992

www.oaic.gov.au

Australia Government

Attorney-General’s Department

02 6141 6666

https://www.ag.gov.au/

Health and Disability Services Complaints Office

(08) 6551 7600 or 1800 813

www.hadsco.wa.gov.au/home/index.cfm

Information and Privacy Commission

New South Wales – 1800 472 679

https://www.ipc.nsw.gov.au/

Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner (HCSCC)

(08) 7117 9313 / 1800 232 007

www.hcscc.sa.gov.au

Keeping your personal information private in our practice