Practice Policies
Please review the policy statements for Greenwich Specialist Consulting Rooms practices.
Privacy Policy
Our Privacy Policy is developed to suit your health care need and the delivery of services that we offer you.
The provision of quality health care is our principal concern. It requires a therapeutic relationship of trust and confidentiality. Your mental health service provider regards patient health information as confidential and will generally collect this information with patient consent.
A patient’s personal information is handled in accordance with this provider’s privacy policy and consistent with the privacy legislation. Patients are entitled to know what personal information is held about them; how and under what circumstances they may have access to it; why it is held; its use; to whom and under what circumstances it may be disclosed; when consent is required for these purposes; and how it is stored.
Every effort will be made to discuss these matters with patients at the time personal health information is collected from patients attending this provider. Because there will be occasions when it is not practicable to make patients aware of these matters at the time of collection, this brochure is designed to outline how this service provider endeavours to protect the privacy of patients’ personal health information.
Collection, Use and Disclosure of your Information
Information about a patient’s medical and family health history is needed to provide accurate medical diagnosis and appropriate treatment. We will be fair in the way we collect information about our patients. This information will generally be collected with patient consent. However, from time to time we may receive patient information from their carers and key family members amongst others. When this occurs, we will, wherever possible, make sure the patient knows we have received this information.
We acknowledge that family members and carers have legitimate concerns about the patient’s health care. We will discuss with the patient the benefits of sharing information where appropriate, with the patient’s preferred family members and carers. The sharing of this information requires the patient’s consent.
Mental health requires full knowledge of patient health information by all members of the treating team. To ensure quality and continuity of patient care, a patient’s health information has to be shared with other health care providers from time to time. Some information about patients is also provided to Medicare, and private health insurance funds if relevant, for billing and medical rebate purposes.
Mental health service providers in this practice are members of various medical and professional bodies including medical defence organizations. There may be occasions when disclosure of patient information is required for medical purposes.
Medical records are not used for any marketing purposes.
There are also circumstances where, for example, a medical practitioner is legally bound to disclose personal information. An example of this is the mandatory reporting of communicable diseases.
It is necessary for us to keep patient’s information after their last attendance at this practice for as long as it is required by law or it is prudent having regard to administrative requirements. Records are destroyed in a secure manner.
Access
In the course of providing mental health care your treating provider is likely to record not only factual material, but also their personal thoughts and comments that arise out of the therapeutic session. A patient generally has a right to access their health information. In the interests of maintaining the therapeutic relationship between you and your treating provider, it may be necessary to discuss with you restrictions on your access to these personal thoughts and comments. We are happy to discuss with you the nature and manner of access by you to your personal information. Carer or key family member’s access to your person information is in strict accordance with special criteria, please ask if you would like more information, but we may need to clarify the scope of your request so that an appropriate form of access can be provided.
There are some circumstances in which access may be denied, for example where the access poses a serious threat to the life or health of a person, but in such an event we will let you know the reason. Occasionally, access to the notes may interfere with the therapeutic process, and pose a serious threat to your health as a result.
If a patient finds that the information held on them is not accurate or complete, the patient may request to have that information amended. The mental health service provider will take reasonable steps to correct the information. The provider would generally attach comments to the record noting the corrected information rather than permanently erasing details form the health record.
Upon request a patient’s health information held by mental health service providers will be made available to another health service provider.
Parents/Guardians and Children
The right of children to privacy of their health information, based on the professional judgement of the provider and consistent with the law, might at times restrict access to this information by parents or guardians. On the other hand, we might suggest that the child or young adult involve their parent or guardian in decisions as to how the health information will be handled.
Complaints Policy
It is important to us that your expectations about the way in which we handle your information are the same as ours.
Please do not hesitate to discuss any concerns, questions or complaints about any issues related to the privacy of your personal information with your provider or the Practice Manager.
If you are still dissatisfied you can complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner whose contact details are:
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
GPO Box 5218
Sydney NSW 2000
Privacy Hotline: 1300 363 992
Website: www.oaic.gov.au
Further information about an individual’s privacy rights can be obtained from the Office of the Federal Commissioner at the above address.
Cancellation Policy
The easiest way to cancel an appointment is to respond to the original reminder text message with “N”. The system will be updated and we will notify your doctor. Please only reply “N” as it is all the system recognises. Cancellations can also be made by phone call.
We reserve the right to charge a non-attendance fee to those patients who fail to give adequate notice of cancellation prior to their scheduled appointment time.
All non-attendance and cancellation fees attract GST and are not claimable under Medicare.
Zero Tolerance Policy
For the safety of our staff and other patients, we will have zero tolerance for violent, disrespectful, intimidating, threatening sexist, racist, homophobic or aggressive behaviour at our practice. Anyone who acts in this manner will be asked to leave and the police may be called. This behaviour may also result in the inability to continue to attend as a patient of this practice.
Psychiatrists
View the range of Psychiatrists working at Greenwich Specialist Consulting Rooms.
Contact Information
Locate us or get in touch with Greenwich Specialist Consulting Rooms staff.
Useful Links
View a range of useful links often utilised by our patients and family members.