As required under the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000

 

Dr Ian Farey and the people in his practice will work cooperatively to meet all appropriate and reasonable requests for access to medical records in accordance with the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000.  This Act applies to patients treated after 21 December, 2001.

 

Our principle concern is the effective health care of our patients.  We seek, at all times, to protect the confidentiality of our patients’ information.  We agree that there is a need to ensure open an effective communication between patient and doctor.

 

Patients should note that some government agencies continue to have legislative rights to access patient information without the need to obtain consent from the doctor or the patient.  In the case of adverse outcomes information may need to be disclosed to other agencies.

 

Dr Farey and his staff will continue to respect and protect the rights of patients to have the information they provide during treatment kept confidential.

 

Some medical information collected after 21 December, 2001 may not be provided until it has been appropriately reviewed by your treating doctor.

 

We request that patients wanting access to their medical records apply in advance, in writing, stating precisely what information they require.  Patients requesting copies of records will be charged an administrative fee for administrative time spent and photocopying costs.  Patients will be notified in advance of an estimate of these costs.

 

Patients must be able to provide proof of identity when viewing records.  When records have been copied it is expected that they be collected from the rooms and proof of identity be shown at the time of collection.  If the person requesting the information is NOT the person collecting the copies a signed letter of authority from the patient must be produced by the person collecting the information.  This person must also be able to produce personal identification.