PRIVACY POLICY
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Effective Date: 1 June 2024
Reviewed: 2 June 2025
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At Braddon Skin Cancer Clinic, doctors and staff are committed to protecting the privacy of your personal and health information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).
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1. Purpose
This policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and store your personal and health information, and how you can access or correct your information or make a complaint.
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2. When and Why is Your Consent Necessary?
When you register as a patient of this practice, you provide consent for the doctors and practice staff to access and use your personal information to facilitate the delivery of healthcare. 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. By acknowledging this Privacy Policy, you consent to us collecting, holding, using, retaining and disclosing your personal information in the manners described below.
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3. Why Do We Collect, Use, Store, 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 Medicare 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.
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4. What Personal Information is Collected?
The information we will collect about you includes your:
- Names, date of birth, addresses, contact details
- Medical information including medical history, medicines, allergies, 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.
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5. Can You Deal with Us Anonymously?
You can deal with us anonymously or under a pseudonym unless it is impracticable for us to do so or unless we are required or authorised by law to only deal with identified individuals.
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6. How is Personal Information Collected?
The practice may collect your personal information in several different ways:
- When you make your first appointment, the practice team will collect your personal and demographic information via your registration.
- 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.
- In some circumstances, personal information may also be collected from your guardian or responsible person, other healthcare providers (e.g. specialists, allied health professionals, hospitals, pathology services), Medicare, your health fund, or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
While providing medical services, further personal information may be collected via:
- Electronic prescribing
- My Health Record
- Online appointments via HotDoc https://practices.hotdoc.com.au/privacy-policy/
Images may also be collected and used:
- CCTV footage: collected for security and safety purposes
- Photos and medical images: taken for medical purposes in line with RACGP guidelines.
Dermengine/Molescope image storage and handling information is available via this link:
https://www.dermengine.com/privacy
7. When, Why and With Whom Do We Share Your Personal Information?
We sometimes share your personal information:
- With third parties for business purposes (e.g., accreditation agencies, IT providers)
- With other healthcare providers (e.g., in referral letters)
- When required or authorised by law (e.g., subpoenas, public health reporting)
- To prevent or lessen a serious threat to life, health, or public safety
- For statutory requirements (e.g., mandatory disease notifications)
- Through electronic prescribing and My Health Record
We will not share your personal information outside Australia unless under exceptional legal circumstances and with your consent.
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8. Will Your Information Be Used for Marketing Purposes?
The practice will not use your personal information for marketing 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 practice in writing.
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9. How is Your Information Used to Improve Services?
The practice may use your information to improve service quality, conduct research, analyse data, and train staff. De-identified data may be shared with organisations to improve population health outcomes. Patients cannot be identified from shared data. You may opt out of data sharing by informing reception staff.
At times, practices may be approached for research participation. You will only be contacted about research if you have consented, and you can decline participation.
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Doctors may use clinical images to teach staff, medical students and other doctors. If you do not consent to this you can advise your doctor.
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10. How are Document Automation Technologies Used?
The practice uses secure software (Best Practice) to generate documents such as referrals. These documents contain only relevant medical information. Access is restricted to authorised users with secure credentials. All information management complies with RACGP and APP requirements.
All data, both electronic and paper, is stored and managed in accordance with the RACGP’s Privacy and managing health information guidance.
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11. How is Your Personal Information Stored and Protected?
Your information may be stored electronically, in imaging systems, or scanned documents. All records are stored securely with restricted access, confidentiality rules, and encryption. We do not retain hard copies unnecessarily.
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12. How Can You Access and Correct Your Information?
You may request access to or correction of your medical records in writing to reception@braddonskincancerclinic.com.au. Requests will be answered within 30 days, and administrative fees may apply. We will take reasonable steps to ensure your information is correct and up to date.
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13. How Can You Lodge a Privacy-Related Complaint?
We take privacy complaints seriously. Concerns should be addressed in writing to admin@braddonskincancerclinic.com.au. We will respond within 30 days. If unresolved, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) via https://www.oaic.gov.au/or 1300 363 992.
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14. Policy Review Statement
This policy is reviewed regularly to ensure compliance. Updates will be posted on our website, and significant changes may be communicated directly to patients
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