IMPORTANT:

Parents MUST contact the surgery for the each Independent doctor’s appointment policy in regards to Skin checks for children under the age of 16.

If you have any flu like symptoms please contact us by phone if you have an appointment or visiting our clinic for further instructions.

Please do not arrive any earlier than 5 minutes prior to your appointment time unless you are a new patient. New patients MUST arrive 15minutes prior to complete the new patient registration form.

Please be patient when you are attempting to contact the practice as reception staff are dealing with an unprecedented number of enquiries.

Please show respect and understanding when dealing with the reception staff as the Practice cannot tolerate rudeness or aggression towards them as they are only performing their role as required by the Doctors and the Practice guidelines.

Due to the clinic's extremely busy schedules and waiting period for an appointment, it is your doctors policy that if you do not attend your appointment or cancel your appointment with 24hrs notice a fee of $55.00 with be incurred and another appointment will not be made until this account is paid.

We thank you for your understanding and co-operation.

Disclaimer and Privacy Policy

Current as of April 2024

Introduction

This privacy policy is to provide information to you, the patient, on how your personal information (which includes your health information) is collected and used within our facility, and the circumstances in which we may share it with third parties with the approval of your doctor.

Why and when your consent is necessary?

When you register as a patient with your doctor you provide consent for your doctor and practice staff to access and use your personal information so they can provide you with the best possible healthcare. Only staff who need to see your personal information will have access to it. If we need to use your information for anything else, we will seek additional consent from you to do this.

Why do we collect, use, hold and share your personal information?

Your doctor and Medeco will need to collect your personal information to provide healthcare services to you. The main purpose for collecting, using, holding and sharing your personal information is to manage your health. Your doctor and Medeco also use it for directly related business activities, such as financial claims and payments, practice audits and accreditation, and business processes (eg staff training).

What personal information do we collect?

The information we will collect about you includes:

Dealing with us anonymously

You have the right to deal with your doctor and Medeco 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.

How do we collect your personal information?

Your doctor and Medeco will collect your personal information:

In some circumstances personal information may also be collected from other sources.

Often this is because it is not practical or reasonable to collect it from you directly. This may include information from:

Who do we share your personal information with?

Your doctor and Medeco sometimes share your personal information:

Only people that 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 your doctor or Medeco 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.

Your doctor or Medeco 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 our practice in writing.

How do we store and protect your personal information?

Your personal information may be stored at Medeco in various forms. These forms may be as an electronic record, paper records visual X-rays and video recordings for training purposes.

Your doctor and Medeco store all personal information securely.

All data both electronic and paper are stored and managed in accordance with the Royal College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Computer and Information Security Standards (CISS) and the requirements of Medeco that all doctors, employees and third parties have confidentiality agreements in place.

How can you access and correct your personal information at our practice?

You have the right to access and correct your personal information.

Your doctor and Medeco acknowledge patients may request access to their medical records. Your doctor will require you to put this request in writing on the application form available from Medeco. Medeco will respond on behalf of your doctor within a reasonable time after your doctor has been consulted. Response will be within 14 days for electronic record and 30 days if your medical records are in a manual form. This request will be approved by your doctor. There is a fee applicable. This fee is detailed on the application and your doctor will take reasonable steps to correct your personal information where the information is not accurate or up-to-date. Medeco will ask you to verify your personal information held by the facility to ensure it is correct and up to date. You may also request that we correct or update your information, and you should make such requests in writing to:

The Practice Manager
Medeco Medical Centre
535 High Street
PENRITH NSW 2750

How can you lodge a privacy related complaint, and how will the complaint be handled at our practice?

Your doctor takes complaints and concerns regarding privacy seriously. You should express any privacy concerns you may have in writing to your doctor. They will then attempt to resolve it in accordance with their resolution procedure.

Your doctor and Medeco take the privacy of your information seriously and it is important that you understand how your doctor will manage your personal information. If you have any questions or comments in relation to this Privacy Policy, if you wish to access or correct your personal information, or if you wish to make a complaint about a privacy matter, please contact us by mail addressed to:

Privacy Officer
Medeco Medical Centre
535 High Street
PENRITH NSW 2750

and it will be dealt with within 30 days of lodgement by your doctor.

You may also contact the OAIC. Generally, the OAIC will require you to give them time to respond, before they will investigate. For further information visit www.oaic.gov.au or call the OAIC on

1300 336 002

Privacy and our website

Medeco Medical Centre website provides links to websites outside of facility services. These linked sites are not under our control, and your doctor and Medeco are not responsible for the conduct of companies linked to our website. Before disclosing your personal information on any other website, it is advised you to examine the privacy policy and terms and conditions of that website.

Policy review statement

Your doctor and Medeco reserve the right to change its privacy policy at any time. Your doctor and Medeco will notify any changes by posting an updated version of the policy on its website.