Privacy Policy - Handling of Personal Health Information

At Health and Wellbeing Wulguru, we are committed to safeguarding the privacy of our patients’ personal health information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). These laws require our practice to have a clearly documented policy outlining how we collect, use, disclose, and protect personal information, including sensitive health information.

Our Privacy Policy outlines how we handle personal information and the measures we take to protect patient confidentiality. We have adapted our policy based on the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) privacy policy template, ensuring that it reflects how our practice collects, stores, and uses personal health information.

Our Privacy Policy is readily available in multiple formats for patient access:

• Displayed in our waiting room
• Included in our practice information sheet
• Published on our practice website
• Provided upon request to any patient or visitor

Patients are informed about how their personal health information will be used, including:

• The organisations to which we typically disclose patient information
• Any legal requirements for collecting specific information
• How their information may be used to provide healthcare services

Patient consent is sought and documented at the earliest stage of clinical care. Patients are made aware of our collection statement when providing consent for the use and sharing of their health information.

Under the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles, personal health information can be used or disclosed for a secondary purpose (other than the original reason for collection) without obtaining additional consent, provided that:

• The secondary purpose is directly related to the primary purpose of collection
• The individual would reasonably expect their information to be used or disclosed in this manner

In the provision of healthcare services, there are various activities necessary for the effective operation of our practice. These may include, but are not limited to:

• Practice management and administration
• Funding and Medicare processing
• Quality improvement, evaluation, and accreditation processes
• Compliance with legal and regulatory requirements
• Complaint resolution and incident management

It is important to recognise the significance of ‘reasonable expectation’, as patients may not always be aware of how their information is used beyond direct patient care. To ensure transparency, we inform patients about potential secondary uses of their personal health information through:

• Discussions with their general practitioner during consultations
• Information provided in the practice privacy statement (available in the practice information sheet)
• Signage within the practice outlining privacy policies
• The new patient registration form, which includes a privacy consent statement

Patients have the right to opt out of secondary use or disclosure of their personal health information. If a patient expresses concerns or refuses consent for a particular secondary use of their information, their non-consent is recorded in their patient file. This ensures their preferences are respected and upheld.

At Health and Wellbeing Wulguru, we are committed to protecting patient confidentiality while ensuring the highest standards of care and compliance with privacy laws. If you have any questions or concerns about how your personal health information is managed, please speak with our staff or refer to our Privacy Policy.