Privacy Policy

Managing patient information

This policy applies to all staff and patients of Orchard Cosmetic.

The staff of Orchard Cosmetic are committed to protecting the privacy of our patients within our clinic. Information collected is kept strictly confidential and used only for the treatment of our patients. All staff of Orchard Cosmetic are required to observe the obligations of confidentiality in the course of their employment and are required to sign Confidentiality Agreements. Orchard Cosmetic recognises that the information we collect is often of a sensitive nature and as an organisation we have adopted the privacy compliance standards relevant to Orchard Cosmetic to ensure personal information is protected.

The purpose of this policy is to ensure patients who receive care from the clinic are comfortable in entrusting their personal details and health information to the staff at Orchard Cosmetic. This policy provides information to patients as to how their personal information is collected and used within the Clinic and the circumstances in which we may disclose it to third parties.

For administrative and billing purposes and to ensure quality and continuity of patient care our patients’ information may need to be shared between the staff of Orchard Cosmetic.

Orchard Cosmetic will:

• Provide a copy of this policy upon request
• Ensure staff comply with the Policy and deal appropriately with inquiries or concerns
• Take such steps as are reasonable in the circumstances to implement practices, procedures and systems to ensure compliance with the policy and deal with inquiries or complaints
• Collect personal information for the primary purpose of providing our services

The Clinic staff will take reasonable steps to ensure patients understand:

• What information has been and is being collected
• Why the information is being collected and whether this is due to a legal requirement
• How the information will be used or disclosed
• Why and when their consent is necessary
• The Clinic’s procedures for access and correction of information, and responding to complaints of information breaches, including by providing this policy

The following applies to Patient Consent:

• The Clinic will only interpret and apply a patient’s consent for the primary purpose for which it was provided.
• The Clinic staff must seek additional consent from the patient if the personal information collected may be used for any other purpose.

Patients’ collected personal information will include:

• Names, addresses and contact details
• Medical information including medical history, medications, allergies, adverse events, family history and risk factors.

A patient’s personal information will be held at the clinic in the following ways:

• As electronic records
• As paper records stored securely
• As photos stored digitally

The clinic’s procedures for collecting personal information are set out below:

• Clinic staff collect patients’ personal information via registration when patients present to the clinic for the first time.
• During the course of providing treatment services the clinic’s practitioners will consequently collect further personal information.
• The clinic holds all personal information securely in electronic format, in protected information systems and in paper format stored securely.
• Patient information collected and retained in our records for the purpose of providing safe and high quality treatment will be complete, accurate, and up to date at the time of collection.
• The Clinic practitioners will wish to review past medical history at regular intervals
• The Clinic will take reasonable steps to correct personal information where it is satisfied it is not accurate or up to date.
• From time to time the Clinic will ask patients to verify the personal information held by the clinic is correct and up to date.
• Patients may also request the Clinic corrects or updates their information and patients should put such requests in person or by email.

Personal information collected by Orchard Cosmetic may be used or disclosed in the following instances:

• For the purpose the patient was advised during consult with the treating Doctor
• For referral to a medical specialist or other health service provider
• For medical defence purposes
• The Clinic will not disclose personal information to any third party without full consent from the patient
• All due care will be taken to ensure the protection of patient privacy during the transfer, storage and use of personal health information.
• Retention of medical records is for a minimum of 7 years from the date of last entry into the patient record.

The following will apply with regard to accessing personal and private medical information by an individual:

• Upon request by the patient, the information held by the clinic can be made available to another health provider.
• An individual has the right to request access their own personal information and request a copy or part of the whole record
• Requests must be made in writing and an acknowledgement letter will be sent to the patient within 14 days confirming the request.
• Time spent and photocopying costs when processing a request can be passed on to the requesting patient.
• Information can be expected to be provided within 30 days.

The Clinic takes complaints and concerns about the privacy of patient’s personal information seriously. Patients should express any privacy concerns in writing. The Clinic will then attempt to resolve it in accordance with its complaint resolution process. In the instance where you are dissatisfied with the level of service provided within the clinic we encourage you to discuss any concerns relating to the privacy of your information with a member of the Clinic staff