Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

Coastal Health Medical Centre will make this Privacy Policy available to anyone who asks for it. Coastal Health Medical Centre recognises the importance of privacy, confidentiality protection for all our patients and those that visit our website and our practice.

Our principal concern is and always will be the health of patients who visit our practice. To ensure our patients can feel confident with giving our practice information a high level of trust and confidentiality is constantly maintained.

Our established culture of confidentiality is in line with the Federal Privacy Act, which in 2001 was amended to include the Private Health Sector throughout Australia. Our Practice obligations have no exceptions to the Privacy Act in regards to the personal information we hold in trust. Thus we can ensure that our patient’s privacy will be protected when visiting our website or our practice.

How we use and disclose information collected
The information we collect both on our website and at our practice is often of a highly sensitive nature, the practice will always ensure that it is compliant with the highest privacy standards to keep all personal information secure and protected. All information is stored electronically and is password protected on several levels. All employees and contractors that work with and at Coastal Health Medical Centre are required to sign and comply with our comprehensive confidentiality agreement.

To ensure our patients are provided the best treatment for medical and/or allied health services the practice will collect personal information (including Health information) on behalf of the practitioners.

The personal information collected will include, but is not limited to:

  • The Patient’s Name
  • Address
  • Telephone Number
  • Medicare Number
  • Health Care Fund
  • Current Drugs/Medication or treatment used by patient
  • Current and Previous medical history, including where clinically relevant, family medical history
  • The Name of any health service provider or medical specialist to which the patient is referred
  • Copies of any letter of referrals and any reports relating to the patient

Patient information will be shared within the practice for administrative and billing purposes, also to enable the patient to be attended by other practitioners who provide medical and allied health services at and from our Practice.

The practice may access information:

  • Provided directly by the patient to our practice or through our website
  • Provided on patient’s behalf with their consent
  • From health service providers / medical specialists patients are referred to
  • From health service providers who refer a patient to medical / allied health practitioners working within our practice premise

Collection of personal information by Coastal Health Medical Centre may be used or disclosed if required by law, if there is a serious threat to the health or safety of an individual or to public and for referral of patients to other health service providers or medical specialists to provide patients with the good health care.

The collection and disclosure may also be used for the purposes of billing, liaising with Government departments regarding Medicare, training, to facilitate any improvements on our services and may be at times be required by Coastal Health Medical insurers.

Health information is kept for a minimum of 7 years for adults from the last occasion in which health service was provided to the patient. If the person is under the age of 18 then records must be kept until the person has attained 25 years of age.

Information is also collected from the medical and allied health practitioners, directly from them or with their agreement.

Other than what is stated within this policy we will not sell, distribute or disclose any personal information to any third party.

Website Security
We endeavour to ensure our website is as secure as possible; however, users need to be aware that the World Wide Web is not a secure medium. Coastal Health Medical Centre and its associates take no liability for any interference or damage to a user’s computer system, software or data occurring in connection with this website. We strongly recommend user’s take appropriate measures to ensure their computer is protected against third party interference whilst on the web.

External links to other websites
This site may contain links to external websites which Coastal Health Medical Centre adds to improve the service we offer and expand upon the information readily available to you. Once a user decides to click on a link and navigate away from the Coastal Health Medical Centre website the privacy policy noted here is no longer in effect. Users are recommended to familiarise themselves with the privacy policies on these websites once they browse and interact with them. Recommendations or views purported on these websites are not necessarily reflective of those of Coastal Health Medical Centre and its associates.

Access, corrections and privacy concerns
This practice acknowledges that patients may request access to their medical records. Patient are encouraged to make this request in writing addressing it to the Practice Manager. The practice will respond within reasonable time. The Practice will take reasonable steps to correct personal information where it is satisfied they are not accurate or up to date. From time to time, the practice will ask patients to verify the personal information held is correct and up to date. Patients may also request the Practice corrects or updates their information and patients should make such requests in writing.

If you wish to discuss this policy, lodge complaint or access your information
Coastal Health Medical Centre takes complaints seriously about the privacy of patient’s personal information. If any patients do wish to complain with regards to a breach of privacy or if you would like to find out more about how we handle personal information please do not hesitate ask any of our staff.

Patients should express any privacy concerns, medical record enquiries or complaints in writing to:

The Practice Manager
213-217 Main Road
Toukley NSW 2263

email:  manager@coastalhealthmedical.com.au

Or alternatively, if you feel that the matter cannot be resolved within the practice and you feel that it needs to be taken further you can lodge a complaint with the NSW Healthcare Complaints Commission, the contact details are:

Health Care Complaints Commission
Locked Mail Bag
18 STRAWBERRY HILLS NSW 2012
Phone: (02) 9219 7444 Fax: (02) 9219 7555
Toll-Free line: 1800 043 159