Part A – Purpose and Context

1.0 Cairns Plastic Surgery takes the privacy of our patients very seriously and is committed to ensuring the privacy and confidentiality of all Personal Information held by Cairns Plastic Surgery.

1.1 Cairns Plastic Surgery adheres to the terms and conditions of privacy and confidentiality in accordance to the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) as per schedule 1 of the Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Act 2012 (Cth), forming part of the Privacy Act 1988 (‘the Act’).

1.2 The purpose of this Privacy Policy is to clearly communicate how Cairns Plastic Surgery collects and manages personal information.

1.3 The point of contact regarding any queries regarding this policy is info@cairnsplasticsurgery.com

Part B – Australian Privacy Principles

2.0 As a private sector health service provider and under permitted health situations, Cairns Plastic Surgery is required to comply with the APPs as prescribed under the Act.

2.1 The APPs regulate how Cairns Plastic Surgery may collect, use, disclose and store personal information and how individuals, including Cairns Plastic Surgery patients may:

address breaches of the APPs by Cairns Plastic Surgery ;
access their own personal information; and,
correct their own personal information.

2.2 In order to provide our patients with adequate health care services, Cairns Plastic Surgery will need to collect and use personal information. It is important to be aware that if a patient provides incomplete or inaccurate information or withholds personal health information, Cairns Plastic Surgery may not be able to provide our patients with the services they request.

Part C – Types of Personal Information

3.0 Cairns Plastic Surgery collects personal information (including sensitive (health) information) in order to provide medical services and assist in the provision of medical care to patients and prospective patients.

Part D – Collection & Retention

4.0 Generally, we collect personal information directly from the patient. This may include collecting information about a patient’s health history, family history, ethnic background or current lifestyle. This information will in most circumstances be collected directly from you via the Client Details form, consult form and by face to face consultation.

4.1 In other instances, Cairns Plastic Surgery may need to collect personal information about a patient from a third party source. This may include:

relatives; or,
other health service providers.

4.2 This will only be conducted if the patient has provided consent for Cairns Plastic Surgery to collect his/her information from a third party source; or, where it is not reasonable or practical for Cairns Plastic Surgery to collect this information directly from the patient. This may include where:

the patient’s health is potentially at risk and his/her personal information is needed to provide them with emergency medical treatment.

4.3 Cairns Plastic Surgery endeavours to store and retain a patient’s personal & health information in hard copy on site and/or electronically.

Part E – Purpose of Collection, Use & Disclosure

5.0 Cairns Plastic Surgery only uses a patient’s personal information for the purpose(s) they have provided the information for unless one of the following applies:

the patient has consented for Cairns Plastic Surgery to use his/her information for an alternative or additional purpose;
the disclosure of the patient’s information by Cairns Plastic surgery is reasonably necessary for the enforcement of criminal law or a law imposing a penalty or sanction, or for the protection of public revenue;
the disclosure of the patient’s information by Cairns Plastic Surgery will prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to somebody’s life or health; or,
Cairns Plastic Surgery is required or authorised by law to disclose your information for another purpose.

i. Professionals to provide treatment

During the patient’s treatment at Cairns Plastic Surgery he/she may be referred to where Cairns Plastic Surgery staff may consult with senior medical experts when determining a patient’s treatment.

ii. Alternative Health services

Cairns Plastic Surgery staff may also refer the patient to other health service providers for further treatment. These professionals will be designated health service providers appointed to use the patient’s health information as part of the process of providing treatment. Please note that this process will be conducted whilst maintaining the confidentiality and privacy of the patient’s personal information.

iii. Other Third Parties

Cairns Plastic Surgery may provide personal information regarding a patient’s treatment or condition to other third parties. These third parties may include:

parent(s);
children;
other relatives;
close personal friends;
guardians; or,
a person exercising a patient’s power of attorney under an enduring power of attorney.

Additionally, the patient may at any time wish to disclose that no third parties as stated are to access or be informed about his/her personal information or circumstances.

iv. Other Uses of Personal Information

In order to provide the best possible environment in which to treat patients, Cairns Plastic Surgery may also use personal/health information where necessary for:

activities such as quality assurance processes, accreditation, audits, risk and claims management, patient satisfaction surveys and staff education and training;
invoicing, billing and account management;
to liaise with a patient’s health fund, Medicare or the Department of Veteran’s Affairs as necessary; and,
the purpose of complying with any applicable laws – i.e. in response to a subpoena or compulsory reporting to State or Federal authorities.

Part F – Access and Changes to Personal Information

6.0 A patient may request access to personal information Cairns Plastic Surgery holds about you. We will grant access unless to the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) or other relevant law allows us or requires us to refuse such access. We may charge a fee to recover reasonable costs associated with supplying information to you.

A patient may also request that Cairns Plastic Surgery correct the personal information it holds if the patient consider it to be inaccurate, out-of-date, incomplete, irrelevant or misleading.

6.1 The point of contact for patient access is:

Allison Morgan (RN)
info@cairnsplasticsurgery.com
40315755

6.2 Once an individual patient requests access to his/her personal information, Cairns Plastic Surgery will respond within a reasonable period of time to provide the said information.

6.3 All personal will be updated in accordance to any changes to a patient’s personal circumstances brought to Cairns Plastic Surgery staff attention. All changes to personal information will be subject to patient’s consent and acknowledgement.

Part G – Complaints handling

7.0 If you have any concerns about the way Cairns Plastic Surgery have handled your personal information then please contact our practice manager. Cairns Plastic Surgery prefer that your complaint is in writing.

7.1 It is our intention to resolve any complaint fairly and as quickly as possible. If you are unhappy with the response provided by Cairns Plastic Surgery, you may refer your complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

Part H – Personal Information and Overseas Recipients

8.0 Cairns Plastic Surgery does not engage with any overseas entities, with which personal or health information would be transferred, appointed or disclosed.

Part I – Disposal of Personal/Health Information

9.0 If Cairns Plastic Surgery receives any unsolicited personal information that is not deemed appropriate for the permitted health situation, Cairns Plastic Surgery will reasonably de-identify and dispose of said information accordingly.

9.1 If Cairns Plastic Surgery holds any personal or health information that is no longer deemed relevant or appropriate for the permitted health situation, will Cairns Plastic Surgery will reasonably de-identify and dispose of said information in accordance with the relvenat .

Part J – Access to Policy

10.0 Cairns Plastic Surgery provides copies of this Privacy Policy for staff to access, which can be located at:www.cairnsplasticsurgery.com

10.1 Cairns Plastic Surgery can provide a copy of this Privacy Policy to patients upon request.

Part K – Review of Policy

11.1 Cairns Plastic Surgery, in accordance with any legislative change will review the terms and conditions of this policy to ensure all content is both accurate and up to date.

11.2 Notification of any additional review(s) or alteration(s) to this policy will be provided to patients and staff within one month notice.