Our Patient Privacy Policy Documentation is on display in the reception area and a copy is available upon request from reception. All of our team have signed confidentiality agreements in relation to your health records. Your records will only be accessed by authorised people with a legitimate reason.
However, in some situations where a doctor is worried about the health and safety of you or others, they might have to tell another person or government authority about your appointment. For example, if:
If you would like to know more about patient confidentiality, talk to your doctor or our Practice Manager.
Our privacy policy provides patients with information on how your personal information (including health information) is collected and used within our practice, and the circumstances in which we may share information with third parties. The privacy policy is available upon request from reception.
It explains issues such as when and where your consent is necessary; why, how and what information is collected, used, stored or shared; anonymous dealings; your rights on accessing your personal information; telehealth; how to provide patient feedback or make a complaint about an alleged privacy breach.
This practice offers telehealth consultations at certain times. Most commonly, our GPs will do phone consultations. Telehealth is incorporated into our practice privacy policy. All communication, including data, video and audio, is encrypted and authenticated. Patients do not need to sign up and no patient information is captured by the telehealth platform provider. Patients are not permitted to record or distribute any audio or video of the consultations as it breaches our practice privacy policy.
Generally, children under 16 years of age will have their parent/guardian fill out their patient information details and will require their parent/guardian’s consent for any treatment.
However, teenagers may sometimes be deemed ‘mature minors’ by the doctor in certain situations. This means their treatment is kept confidential even from their parent or guardian.
Patients have the right to ask for their medical information, and may ask to view, or obtain, either all or part of their medical records.
No reason is required for such a request but the practice may seek clarification of what is required.
Occasionally, a third party may request your medical records. We will not provide documentation without your express written permission.
However, we have a legal obligation to comply with a subpoena requesting medical records.
We maintain the strictest standards of cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation in line with RACGP and Australian Standards.
If you have any concerns about your medical treatment, please speak to your doctor or nurse. If you have any issues about our surgery, please contact our Practice Manager on 02 6255 8112 or practicemanager@tsaj.com.au.
If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you can contact the NSW Medical Board on 02 9879 2200 or the NSW Healthcare Complaints Commission on 02 9219 7444.
Children have a right to privacy of health information. In certain cases, our doctors may exercise their professional judgment in accordance with the law to restrict parents or guardians from this information.
TSAJ may communicate with patients via SMS for appointment reminders, clinical reminders (ie immunisations due) or recalls. Patients must give written consent to SMS communications and it is the patient’s responsibility to ensure the details are correct.
Patients can email non-urgent requests to reception@tsaj.com.au. No appointment or script requests should be emailed.
When communicating via phone, staff will ensure a patient is correctly identified (as per privacy regulations) before any personal or clinical information is disclosed. Phone messages will only ask a person to contact the surgery on 6255 8112, with no further information disclosed.
If, for example, you need clarification following a consultation, you may leave a message with the reception staff who will send the GP a message. This might not be checked until the end of the day so please flag with reception if you believe this is an urgent enquiry and the doctor will be made aware as soon as possible. The doctor will then either call you when they are available or ask reception to relay a message to you. Doctors are not able to take phone calls directly from patients as they may be in consultations or not on site.
In accordance with NSW legislation, smoking is strictly prohibited inside our premises and within four metres of our entrance.
There is no safe level of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke. This is the smoke which smokers exhale after inhaling from a lit cigarette and the smoke emitted from a burning igarette.
We promote a smoke-free area to support those who have kicked the habit and to make smoking less visible to children and young people.
If you would like to know more about any of the policies and procedures at The Surgery at Jerra, please contact our practice manager on 02 6255 8112.