Primary Care Connect take privacy and the protection of your personal health information very seriously. This policy has been developed to inform you of our obligations under the eleven Health Privacy Principles (HPPs) of the Health Records Act 2001 (Victoria), the Health Services Act 2001 (Victoria), and the Privacy and Data Protections Act 2014 (Victoria). You may choose to withhold your personal information, however giving PCC more information will help us to provide you with the best possible service. If you don’t want to give us any personal information, you may choose to access our services anonymously (HPP 8).
PCC collects information for the purpose of identifying you for service delivery. This information includes name, date of birth, address, and phone number. Other information might include gender, Aboriginal background, language spoken, interpreter requirements, living arrangements, income information and details of your GP or other related service providers. Additional information relating to your health, including medical conditions or disabilities may also be collected assisting us to provide you with the best possible care.
Sensitive information includes:
(a) Personal information;
(b) Specific health
information about you;
(c) Genetic information about you. We will only ask you for sensitive
information if it is relevant to the service/s you are receiving from us. This
information is stored within our secure client management system and can only
be accessed by the people you are working with. PCC cannot pass your
information onto other services/organisations without your consent.
Your information is stored within our secure client management system and can only be accessed by unique passwords created by PCC for individual staff (HPP 4). Different staff have different levels of access to personal health records and files, dependent on their role.
Your consent is required before your personal details can be shared with other parties or services. Your consent allows relevant PCC staff to access and share information if they are working with you. Your personal records cannot be sent to any other person or agency without your consent (HPP 2).
You have the right to
withdraw your consent to share your personal information at any time. Please
discuss this with PCC staff. It may lead to difficulty in providing you with the
best possible care (HPP 2).
You have a right to request
access to your personal information held by PCC. You can do this by providing a
written request (use this form) to PCC via email to informationsharing@primarycareconnect.com.au or delivery in person or post to PCC, 399 Wyndham Street, Shepparton.
Please note there may be a cost for this service, you will receive a response within
30 days (HPP 6).
Should your personal details change and need updating, speak to our staff. They can update your contact details – change of address, phone number, next of kin. Other changes can be made by putting your concern in writing to the relevant program manager for the service you are seeking/receiving (HPP 6).
If we receive notification requesting your personal information to be shared with another organisation, we will discuss the request with you. You will be required to provide written consent for your information to be shared (HPP 11.
PCC has a Conflict of Interest policy. There may be situations when we need to inform you of a conflict of interest that may impact on your services. If you also believe that there is a conflict of interest in the services you are receiving, please notify the Manager of the program or the Chief Executive Officer.
Like any health professional we have a duty of care to you and others, including our staff. In some circumstances we may have to breach your privacy in order to protect you or somebody else from physical harm (HPP 1, 2, 6). There are additional circumstances where your information may be shared without your consent:
If your information is shared without your consent, it will be done so in a manner that promotes your safety and considers your views, where appropriate, safe and reasonable to do so.
If you believe there has been a breach of your privacy by PCC employees,
Board of Directors, volunteers or students, you can put your request in writing
to the Chief Executive Officer. If you are not happy with the outcome of your
complaint, you can take the complaint to the Health Services Complaints Commissioner on 1300 582 113.
You can provide PCC with feedback:
Chief Executive Officer
Primary
Care Connect
399 Wyndham Street Shepparton
Victoria 3630
PCC may disclose your personal details to the Victorian Department of Health or its authorised contractors, in order for them to send you a survey about your experience with us. In these instances, data is protected in accordance with the appropriate Victorian and Australian Privacy Principles and Health Privacy Principles. There is detailed description of the survey at:
https://vahi.vic.gov.au/ourwork/datasets/patient-experience-and-outcomes-data