Privacy Policy

Current as of December 2024 (our Privacy Policy is revised on a regular basis in line with OAIC legislation)

1. Introduction

Port Fairy Medical Clinic & Koroit Medical Clinic is committed to ensuring your personal information is professionally managed in accordance with all Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). This privacy policy is to provide information to you, our patients, on how your personal information (which includes your health information) is collected and used within our practice, and the circumstances in which we share it with third parties.

2. What personal information we collect & why

When you register as a patient of our practice, your doctor and/or their support team will need to collect your personal information so they can provide you with the best possible healthcare services. We also use it for directly related business activities, such as financial claims and payments, practice audits, accreditations, and normal business processes. The personal information we collect and hold generally includes:

Your name, address, date of birth, contact details.
Information about your health condition, medical history, social and family history, risk factors, medications, allergies, adverse events, immunisations, and treatments you may have already received.
Medicare number or DVA number for identification and claiming purposes.
Private health fund details.

3. How we store and protect your personal information

Your personal information may be stored at our practice as paper records, electronic records, audio recordings, x-rays, CT scans, videos, and photos. Our practice stores all personal information securely and has strict protocols and policies to ensure your personal information is protected from misuse, loss, interference, or unauthorised access. Electronic format is encrypted and password protected. Hard copy records and information is stored in secure locked cabinets or locked rooms. All staff and contractors must sign confidentiality agreements prior to commencing work with and for our practice.

4. How we collect your personal information

Our practice will collect your personal information directly and in person, over the phone, by email, SMS, or hard copy forms. When you make your first appointment, our practice staff will collect your personal and demographic information via your registration. If it is not possible to collect it from you directly, we may also collect this 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 Private Health Fund, Medicare or DVA.

5. Who we share your personal information with and when

We may share your personal information with:

Other healthcare providers.
Third parties who work with our practice for business purposes (such as IT providers and accreditation agencies).
Where there is a statutory requirement to lawfully share certain personal information, such as mandatory notification of certain diseases.
Courts, under subpoena or where required or authorised by law.
When necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to a patient’s life, health or safety, or the public health or safety, and it is impractical to obtain the patient’s consent.
During the course of providing medical services through Electronic Transfer of Prescriptions (eTP), My Health Record system and the National Cancer Screening Registry (Bowel and Cervical Cancer).
Our practice 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.
Only those people that need to access your personal 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 express consent. We will not share your personal information with anyone outside Australia (unless under exceptional circumstances that are permitted by law) without your consent.

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

Our practice will take reasonable steps to correct your personal information where the information is not accurate or up to date. We will ask you at various times, to verify your information held by our practice is correct and up to date. You have the right to access personal information that we hold about you, in electronic or hard copy format. If you wish to access or correct your personal information, we request that you put it in writing and contact our Practice Manager, Mrs Carolyn Billington, Port Fairy / Koroit Medical Clinic 28 Villiers Street, Port Fairy, Vic 3284. Your request for access and/or correction will be processed within 30 days.

7. How you can lodge a privacy related complaint and how it will be managed at our practice

If you have any concerns about your privacy or wish to make a complaint about privacy breach, contact, our Practice Manager Mrs Carolyn Billington, 28 Villiers Street, Port Fairy Vic 3284, billington@pfmc.com.au. You should provide us with sufficient details regarding your complaint together with any supporting information. We will take steps to investigate the issues and will notify you in writing of the outcome within 30 days from the receipt date of original written complaint. If you are not satisfied with our response, you can contact us directly to discuss your further concerns, or lodge a complaint with the Australian Information Commissioner at www.oaic.gov.au or by calling 1300 363 992.