Privacy Information

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Oxford Community Health Centre follows the rules set out below whenever we collect, use, store or disclose information about your health.

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Collecting your health information

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When we collect health information from you we will:

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• Only collect the information for the purpose of treating you (or for some related purpose);​

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• Collect the information directly from you unless you have authorised us to collect the information from someone else (or we have some other lawful reason for collecting the information from someone else); and tell you why we are collecting the information and what we will do with it.

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Using your health information

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We will not use your health information for any purpose other than for the purpose of treating you unless we get your consent or we will use your information in a way that doesn’t identify you (or where we have some other lawful reason for doing so).

 

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Storing your health information

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We will store your health information securely so that only authorised people can access or use your information.

 

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Disclosing your health information

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We will not disclose your health information to anyone without your consent unless we have a lawful reason for doing so.

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Access and correction of your health information

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You can ask us to confirm whether we hold information about you. If we hold information about you, you have the right to access the information.

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You can ask us to correct any information that we hold about you if you think that the information is inaccurate.  If we refuse to correct your information, you can ask us to put a note on your information that states that you have asked for the correction to be made.

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Enquiries

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If you have any concerns about any matter relating to your health information, please ask to speak to our privacy officer.

Chaperone / Support Person

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We offer all patients the right to have a chaperone present during consultations or internal/intimate examinations if they wish.

Doctors and Rural Nurse Specialists may also request the assistance of a chaperone.  You may wish to bring a support person with you or have a nurse chaperone.

 

Please ask your Doctor or Nurse.

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Recording of Incoming and Outgoing Telephone Calls

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Oxford Community Health Centre records all incoming and outgoing telephone calls as a means of quality control, to address any patient complaints about the way they were dealt with over the telephone, and to validate or verify any information relating to patient service or a patient complaint.

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All calls are accessible for up to 4 months.

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The practice complies with the Privacy Act in using and managing the system, and every effort is made to prevent it impacting on patients and staff privacy.

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Specifically, the Privacy Act requires that 

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Information is only collected for a necessary and lawful purpose,
Individuals must be aware of the information collection and the reason for it,
Information is collected for the purpose as stated above

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Guidelines

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The Practices privacy officer is responsible for overseeing this protocol.

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Access to recordings is limited to the privacy officer, practice manager and clinical director.

 

Staff are informed that telephone calls are recorded.

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Patients are informed that telephone calls are recorded and the purpose is identified as for training purposes, quality control and to address patient complaints. Patients are informed of telephone calls being recorded by the pre-recorded telephone message which they hear when they ring into the practice.

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Telephone recordings are not routinely monitored and will only be accessed by personnel listed above as part of a quality control audit, or investigation into an issue or complaint.

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If a telephone recording is accessed, any staff members involved will be advised.

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If a telephone recording is accessed which contains private information, or is a telehealth consultation, the patient involved will be advised and their permission obtained before the recording is accessed.

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Staff and patients have a legal right to request a copy of the recording.