Privacy Statement

Clinton Medical Centre recognises the importance of privacy, confidentiality protection for all our patients and those that visit our practice.

Clinton Medical Centre will make this Privacy Policy available to anyone who asks for it.

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 and sharing information with our practice, a high level of trust and confidentiality will always be maintained.

Our already 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 practice.

How we use and disclose information collected.

Understanding that the information we collect 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 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 Clinton 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 on behalf of the practitioners and the practitioners themselves may collect personal information (including Health information) to meet this purpose.

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

  • Patient’s Name
  • Address
  • Telephone Numbers
  • Medicare Number
  • Health Care Card Number
  • 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 or 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 patients 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 Clinton 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 health and safety, for referral of patient to other health service providers or medical specialists, for the purpose of which the patient was advised and to provide the patient with the best health treatment.

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 required by Clinton Medical Centre’s 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 about the medical and allied health practitioners, directly from them or with their agreement, who provide services within our practice.

This information includes:

  • Their Name
  • Address
  • Telephone Numbers
  • Qualifications and experience
  • Insurance information

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

If you wish to discuss this policy, lodge complaint or access further information.

If you wish to complain to us regarding a breach of privacy, access your information held by us, correct any of your information held by us or find out more about how we handle personal information we can be contacted through the below:

The Privacy Officer
304-308 Auburn Street
GOULBURN NSW 2580