Bay Medical Centre Privacy Policy

Current as of: August 2025

Introduction

The objective of this document is to provide you, our patient, with clear information on how your personal information (which includes your health information) is collected and used within the practice. Occasionally we also need to share your personal information to involve others in your healthcare and this policy outlines when, how, and why we share your information.

The rights of every patient are respected and all information collected by this practice in providing a health service is deemed to be private and confidential. The Practice complies with Federal and State privacy regulations including the Privacy Act 1988 which utilises the Australian Privacy Principles, the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000 and as well as the standards set out in the RACGP’s ‘Privacy and managing health information in general practice’ Guidelines, updated May 2023.

Who can I contact about this policy?

For enquiries concerning this policy, you can contact the Bay Medical Centre administration and management team on admin@baymedicalcentre.com.au

Why and when your consent is necessary

When you register as a patient of our practice, you provide consent for our GPs and practice staff to access and use your personal and health information so they can provide you with the best possible healthcare.

This information is set up in an individual patient health record. This record contains an accurate and comprehensive record of all our interactions with you. 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 outlined in this document, 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. By acknowledging this Privacy Policy you consent to us collecting, holding, using, retaining and disclosing your personal information in the manners described below.

Why do we collect, use, hold and share 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.

What personal information do we collect?

The information we will collect about you includes your:

  • names, date of birth, addresses, contact details, cultural background
  • 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
  • health fund details.

This information is stored in your electronic patient health record and further information can be found in our Management of Patient Health Information Policy.

Can you deal 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 authorized by law to only deal with identified individuals.

How do we collect your personal information?

Bay Medical Centre 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 paperwork (paper-based or online).
  2. During the course of providing medical services, we may collect further personal information.
  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, including:
  • your guardian or responsible person for example, for a child
  • 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).
  • 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 outside our premises for security and safety purpose
  • Photos and medical images: These are only taken for medical purposes with consent using the patient’s personal device

We will always comply with privacy obligations when collecting personal information from third-party sources. This includes ensuring transparency with patients, obtaining necessary consents, maintaining data accuracy, securing the information, and using it only for specified purposes.

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

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 Australian Privacy Principles and with this policy
  • with other healthcare providers involved in your care (e.g in referral letters)
  • with your responsible person (eg carer) if it is reasonably necessary and your consent is obtained
  • when it is required or authorised by law (eg 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 there is a statutory requirement to share certain personal information (eg some diseases require mandatory notification)
  • during the course of providing medical services, through eScripts, My Health Record (eg 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, our practice will not share personal information with any third party without your consent.

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

Will your information be used for marketing purposes?

Our practice will not use your personal information for marketing any of 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 is your information used to improve services?

Our 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. If we provide this information to other organisations patients cannot be identified from the information we share, the information is secure and is stored within Australia. You can let our reception staff know if you do not want your de-identified information included.

At times, general practices are approached by research teams to recruit eligible patients into specific studies which require access to identifiable information. At this stage, Bay Medical Centre is not formally involved in any research studies but may do so in the future. You may be approached by a member of our practice team to participate in research. Researchers will not approach you directly without your express consent having been provided to the practice. If you provide consent, you would then receive specific information on the research project and how your personal health information will be used, at which point you can decide to participate or not participate in the research project.

How are document automation technologies used?

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 our secure medical software, Best Practice.

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.

 

How do we store and protect your personal information?

Your personal information may be stored at our practice in various forms, but by in large this is electronic. Our practice stores all personal information securely with all data stored electronically in an individual patient health record. Access to this is in a password protected format with staff assigned access levels, appropriate to their role. All staff have signed confidentiality agreements to protect your information. The physical layout of our practice also ensures your privacy as members of the public are unable to view computer screens and confidential documents. In addition we have password protected screensavers on computers in case a screen is left unattended and our staff are trained to log out of software/computers when no longer clinically required. Any identifying documents are securely disposed of using a cross-cut shredder. Any hard-drives/fax machines/photocopiers with data storage are wiped of all information by our IT service provider prior to disposal and replacement.

Further information can be found in the Management of Patient Health Information Policy.

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.

Our practice acknowledges patients may request access to their medical records. Your GP is able to provide you with a health summary on request. For whole medical record access, to verify your request and details, we require you to put this request in writing to the practice manager. Alternatively you may complete a Personal Health Information Request Form available from reception. Our practice will respond within a reasonable time period of 30 days. Dependent on the size of the patients file a minimum fee of $25 will apply for:

  • administration for file searching, collating, etc
  • copying or printing records
  • postage or courier fees
  • facilitating access with intermediaries.

Our 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 as it changes.

Our practice will take reasonable steps to safeguard patient information when sending this information to patients, health organisations or third parties by email, as with any other types of communication.

Our reception staff will advise patients of the privacy risks of the use of unencrypted email and that it could be read by someone other than the intended recipient. This is further covered in our Patient Email Policy, available on request.

Privacy on site

For security and safety, CCTV is located within and outside the shopping centre complex for the safety of all visitors and staff. This footage is able to be reviewed/requested from centre management should the need ever arise.

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. We will then attempt to resolve it in accordance with our Complaints Policy which includes the expected timeframe for investigation. All complaints can be addressed to the Practice Manager, Bay Medical Centre, Shop 44A Runaway Bay Centre, 10-12 Lae Dr, Runaway Bay QLD 4216 or by email to admin@baymedicalcentre.com.au.

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.

Privacy and our website

Use of our practice website or social media may provide us with further personal information. As with all other personal information acquired by our practice, all personal information is treated as per the Australian Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act 1988. Our email contact is not encrypted. There are potential privacy risks in the use of unencrypted email and as such we cannot take responsibility for personal information you may send to us through this service if it is intercepted. Use of this email service is at your own risk.

Policy review statement

This privacy policy will be reviewed regularly (annually in July) to ensure compliance with current obligations. Any significant amendments made will be communicated to patients via signage at reception and the policy link updated on the practice website.

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