privacy policy
Living in Balance is committed to providing quality services to you and this policy outlines our ongoing obligations to you in respect of your Personal Information (which includes your health information) and how it is managed, how it is collected and used within the clinic, and the circumstances in which it may be shared with third parties.
Why and when your consent is necessary
When you register as a patient of the practice, you provide consent for the practitioner to access and use your personal information in order to provide you with the best possible healthcare. If there is a need to use your information for anything else, additional consent will be sought from you to do this.
Why is your personal information collected, held and shared?
The practice needs to collect your personal information in order to provide healthcare services to you. The main purpose for collecting, using, holding and sharing your personal information is to manage your health. It is also used for directly related business activities, such as financial claims and payments, practice audits and accreditation.
What personal information is collected?
The information collected about you includes your:
names, date of birth, addresses, contact details
medical information including medical history, medications, allergies, adverse events, immunisations, social history, family history and risk factors
health fund details, if applicable.
How is your personal information collected?
The practice may collect your personal information in several different ways.
When you make your first appointment your personal and demographic information will be collected on your registration form which is required prior to attending your first appointment.
During the course of providing health services, further personal information may be collected.
Personal information may be collected when you visit the website, send an email, SMS or make a call, an online appointment or communicate via using social media.
In some circumstances personal information may also be collected from third parties. Often this is because it is not practical or reasonable to collect it from you directly. This may include 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.
When, why and with whom is your personal information shared?
Sometimes your personal information is shared
with third parties who work with the clinic for business purposes, such as accreditation agencies or information technology providers – these third parties are required to comply with Australian Privacy Principals and this policy
with other healthcare providers
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).
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, the clinic will not share personal information with any third party without your consent.
Your personal information will not be shared with anyone outside Australia (unless under exceptional circumstances that are permitted by law) without your consent.
The clinic 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 the clinic in writing.
How is your personal information stored and protected?
Your personal information will be stored either as electronic records or locked and secured paper records. Electronic records with your personal information are securely stored with an online practice management system. When your Personal Information is no longer needed for the purpose for which it was obtained, reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify your Personal Information will be instigated, however, your Personal Information will be stored and kept by the clinic for a minimum of 7 years.
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.
Living in balance acknowledges patients may request access to their medical records. We require you to request this via email and the practice will respond within a reasonable time.
The clinic will take reasonable steps to correct your personal information where the information is not accurate or up to date. From time to time, you may be asked to verify that your personal information held by the clinic is correct and current. You may also request that the clinic correct or update your information, and these requests are to be made via email.
How can you lodge a privacy-related complaint, and how will the complaint be handled at the clinic?
Complaints and concerns regarding privacy are taken very seriously at the clinic. You should express any privacy concerns you may have via email. Livinginbalance101@gmail.com The clinic will then attempt to resolve this as soon as practicable.
You may also contact APHRA by visiting their website www.aphra.gov.au or call on 1300 419 495. Generally, APHRA will require you to give them time to respond before they will investigate.
