Privacy Policy

CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY

• All personal and health information is handled in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic).
• All staff sign a Confidentiality Agreement.
• All charts with patient information are kept securely.
• Parental consent is required for the information to be provided to a paediatrician, psychologist or school guidance officer.
• Information on diagnosis and treatment suggestions will be provided to the referring practitioner.
• Confidentiality is needed between a teenager and their treating clinician to encourage a trusting therapeutic alliance, and for treatment to be successful. Clinicians will encourage a teenager to talk with their parent, but will break confidentiality only when safety is at risk.

 

PRIVACY POLICY

OVERVIEW

Our practice is committed to protecting your privacy and the confidentiality of your health information. We collect and use your personal and health information to provide safe and effective medical care and to meet our legal obligations. By completing and signing this form, you acknowledge that you have read and understood our Privacy Policy and agree to the collection, use and disclosure of your information as outlined. A copy of our full Privacy Policy is available at reception or on our website.

IDENTIFYING YOURSELF WHEN RECEIVING  CARE

The Clinic generally requires patients to identify themselves when receiving healthcare services so that we can provide safe and appropriate care and maintain accurate medical records. However, where lawful and practicable, you may choose to deal with us anonymously or using a pseudonym. In those circumstances, some services may not be available to you.

COLLECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

NOTIFICATION OF CERTAIN MATTERS

When collecting personal information, The Clinic will notify our clients of certain matters, such as test results, in a timely manner. This usually requires you to meet with one of The Clinic’s clinicians, so that we can properly interpret and explain the test results for you.

 

USE AND DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

The Clinic only uses and discloses personal information when:

It is in accordance with the express written consent of the client or family member to which the information relates,
There are significant safety concerns with a client or others,
As required by law (such as making a notification of alleged child abuse to the relevant government authorities or in complying with a subpoena issued by a court).

We will take reasonable steps to ensure your personal information is accurate, complete, up to date and relevant.

DIRECT MARKETING

The Clinic will never use someone’s personal information for any direct marketing purposes. The Clinic may, from time to time, notify clients or their families/carers of available treatment options or programs; however, this is for therapeutic purposes only, and not for marketing purposes.

ADOPTION, USE OR DISCLOSURE OF GOVERNMENT RELATED IDENTIFIERS

The Clinic does not adopt, use or disclose government-related identifiers used by the government to identify our clients, other than Medicare Card numbers.

QUALITY AND SECURITY OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

The Clinic ensures that the personal information collected is accurate, up to date, complete and relevant. The Clinic also ensures that the personal information held is protected from misuse, interference, loss and unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

ACCESS TO OR CORRECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

The Clinic can provide access to the personal information held about a person to that person or their parent/legal guardian (if that person is under 18 years of age) upon receipt of a written request. It must be noted, however, that The Clinic may choose not to disclose personal information if it significantly impacts on another person’s privacy, or could pose a significant risk to the life or health of you or another person. 

PRACTICE POLICY

• The clinic offers outpatient care only. Private hospital admissions can be arranged for during business hours.
• Urgent appointments are a priority for existing clients.
• Unfortunately, phone support is not available, although reception can relay messages to clinicians between appointments.
• Payment is required at the time of the appointment. We are unable to book a further appointment until the account is settled.
• Appointment cancellation requires 24 hours’ notice, or a fee will apply.

COMPLAINTS POLICY

At Vita Healthcare, we take patient feedback seriously. If you have a concern about your care, we encourage you to speak directly with the clinician involved; this is often the quickest and easiest way to resolve any issues. You can email your clinician via reception@vitahealthcare.com.au if you do not have their email address or post a letter. Please note that any feedback regarding your clinical care needs to be discussed with the clinician and not with administrative staff.

If you have any questions or concerns about how your personal information is handled or want to request access to or correction of your information, please contact:

We value all feedback, whether positive or negative. Complaints help us improve the quality and safety of our services. We appreciate your willingness to bring any concerns to our attention.

Consent Form to Share Information With Another Clinic/Agency

Please complete this form if you are a current patient and would like Vita Health Care to share certain information with another third party as discussed with your clinician as part of your ongoing care. 

If you would like your file transferred to a new clinic or clinician who will manage your care from now on, the form for this request will need to be provided by your new provider/clinic. 

Once we receive this form with your authorisation, we will review the request and provide the necessary information as approved by your clinician. Please email or fax the request. 

Transferring medical file TO Vita Health Care

Requests for access to health information