Privacy Policy

The purpose of this document is to outline how Southside Denture Clinic complies with its confidentiality and privacy obligations. Southside Denture Clinic recognises the importance of privacy and confidentiality protection for all our patients.

Patients will be assured that:

• Their privacy will be protected when visiting Southside Denture Clinic
• They can review their own personal information upon request

HOW WE USE AND DISCLOSE INFORMATION COLLECTED

Understanding that the information we collect is often of a sensitive nature, Southside Denture Clinic will always ensure that it is compliant with the highest privacy standards to keep all personal information secure and protected.

Personal Information collected will include, but is not limited to:

• Patient’s Name
• Address
• Telephone Number
• Email address
• Date of Birth
• Dental Insurance Details
• DVA Number
• Area Health or other applicable scheme vouchers
• The patient’s GP and Dentist name and contact number
• Current Drugs/Medication or treatment used by the patient
• Current and Previous medical history
• The name of any health provider by which the patient is referred
• Copies of any letters of referrals and any reports relating to the patient

Patient information will be shared within the Clinic for administrative and billing purposes, also with any other consulting dentist or dental prosthesis.

Southside Denture Clinic may access information:

• Provided directly by the patient
• Provided on the patient’s behalf with the patient’s consent
• From a health service provider who refers the patient to Southside Denture Clinic or from health service providers to whom patients are referred.

USE OR DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

Southside Denture Clinic does not sell or licence personal information.

Personal information collected by Southside Denture Clinic may be used or disclosed:

• For the purpose advised to the patient at the time of collection of the information
• As required for the delivery of the health service to the patient including the manufacturing of the dental prosthetic
• As required for the ordinary operation of our services such as referring the patient to a dentist
• As required under compulsion of law
• Where there is a serious and imminent threat to an individual’s life, health, or safety; or a serious threat to public health or public safety
• Southside Denture Clinic may use or disclose personal information for quality assurance, training, billing, debt recovery and as may be required by Southside Denture Clinic’s insurers.
• Southside Denture Clinic may use or disclose personal information when liaising with government offices such as DVA or The Department of Area Health or Health Fund Insurance Providers, regarding entitlements and for claims processing.
• Southside Denture Clinic will disclose personal information to a third party where it is necessary for the provision of the service and the management of the clinic.

Where personal information is disclosed to third parties, Southside Denture Clinic seeks to ensure that they comply with the requirements of the Privacy Act. However, Southside Denture Clinic is not responsible for the misuse of personal information by these third parties.

While Southside Denture Clinic takes all reasonable steps to ensure that these parties have and enforce an adequate privacy policy, it is not responsible for the misuse of personal information by these third parties.

SECURITY AND STORAGE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

Southside Denture Clinic takes reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

Whilst Southside Denture Clinic uses all reasonable endeavours to ensure that the collection of personal information is done so in a secure environment, no data transmission over the internet can be guaranteed as totally secure. Southside Denture Clinic does not accept responsibility for the security of information transmitted to it over the internet.

ACCESS TO PERSONAL INFORMATION

An individual has the right to access and, if necessary, to correct personal information provided to and held by Southside Denture Clinic. Per the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW), the request should:

• Be in writing, and
• State the name and address of the person making the request, and
• Identify the health information they wish to access and in which form
• Where the request is to amend, the information the person claims is necessary to complete or update the health information

Patient information will be shared within the Clinic for administrative and billing purposes, also with any other consulting dentist or dental prosthesis.

Southside Denture Clinic may access information:

• Provided directly by the patient
• Provided on the patient’s behalf with the patient’s consent
• From a health service provider who refers the patient to Southside Denture Clinic or from health service providers to whom patients are referred.

For security reasons, appropriate photo identification will be required prior to access being granted.

Southside Denture Clinic takes all reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information it collects, uses or discloses is accurate, complete and current. However, the accuracy of the information held depends to a large extent on the information provided by the patient. If you are aware that any of your personal information has changed please assist by advising us of the change.

COMPLAINTS RESOLUTION

Southside Denture Clinic is committed to providing patients with a fair and responsive system for handling and resolving complaints. You have a right to complain and to have your complaint handled efficiently. Southside Denture Clinic believes that in receiving your complaint, it is provided with a valuable opportunity to improve the services it delivers to you and to maintain your confidence in Southside Denture Clinic.

If at any time you wish to lodge a complaint in respect of the handling, use or disclosure of your personal information by Southside Denture Clinic you may notify us of your complaint in writing to Southside Denture Clinic Attention: The Practice Manager PO Box 1155 Sutherland NSW 1499. We will endeavour to investigate and advise you of the outcome of a complaint within 28 days of receipt of the complaint.

CONTACTS

Individuals wishing to access their own personal information or seek further information about the privacy practices of Southside Denture Clinic can contact:

The Practice Manager Southside Denture Clinic

PO Box 1155 Sutherland NSW 1499

Phone: (02) 9542.6611

Email: contact@southsidedentureclinic.com.au

If you feel that your complaint has not been properly managed or adequately resolved by the Clinic, please direct the complaint to:

The Privacy Commissioner

GPO Box 5218

Sydney NSW 1042

Phone: 1300 363 992

Fax: 1800 620 241

Email: privacy@privacy.gov.au

UPDATES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

This Privacy Policy will be reviewed and updated by Southside Denture Clinic from time to time. Updated versions of this policy will be published on this website.

UPDATES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

This Privacy Policy will be reviewed and updated by Southside Denture Clinic from time to time. Updated versions of this policy will be published on this website.

FURTHER INFORMATION ON PRIVACY

Further information may be obtained on privacy issues in Australia by visiting the Australian Federal Privacy Commissioner’s website at www.privacy.gov.au