Our Practice

Appointments are required for all script refills. We encourage all patients to be proactive at tracking their medication usage and booking appointments for their scripts ahead of time.

Blackmans Bay Health uses an automated SMS system to notify patients to make an appointment with their GP regarding any abnormal test results that need discussing. For safety and privacy purposes, we do not release any results without a GP consultation. We offer surgery or telehealth appointments for results.

It is the patient’s responsibility to make a follow up appointment with their GP to discuss results. Our team makes every effort to contact patients regarding any abnormal results, however it cannot be assumed that test results are normal if there is no contact from our surgery. We encourage patients to be proactive and book an appointment for results.

Blackmans Bay Health is a mixed billing practice. Fees for consultations/services must be paid in full at the time of consultation. Payments can be made via EFTPOS, Credit Card, Cash or EFT.

Payments made via EFT must be made by close of business on the day of consultation; failing to do so will incur an additional late administrative fee.

We can process your Medicare rebate on your behalf at the time of your consultation providing you have your bank details registered with Medicare or if you have an EFTPOS debit card with you.

Medicare Concession Card Holders, DVA Gold Card Holders and Children under 16 years of age are Bulk Billed.

If you have any issues regarding payment, please consult our friendly receptionists.

If you no longer need your appointment, please contact reception to cancel as soon as possible so that we can give your appointment to someone else.

A minimum of two hours’ notice is required for appointment cancellations. A non-attendance fee will be charged to those patients who do not turn up to their appointments or those who cancel within two hours of their appointment.

Blackmans Bay Health has a zero abuse policy and is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace free from violence, harassment, aggression and bullying. Staff are protected by this policy whether they feel or experience violence, harassment, aggression, or bullying from patients, their families or carers. We will treat reports of workplace violence seriously.

Email is not our preferred means of communication. There is a risk that important clinical information sent via email may be missed or not picked up, particularly time critical information. In addition we urge all patients to carefully consider the issue of security before sending medical information via unencrypted email. The alternative methods for communicating clinical information are via phone or in person. Please do not use normal posts for forwarding time critical information. We encourage patients to phone the practice or make an appointment to discuss clinical issues.

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Our practice does not email any correspondence directly to a patients; this includes scripts, results, referrals/ imaging requests, health summaries etc. This is to reduce the risk of information being intercepted or sent to incorrect email addresses. Patients that wish to obtain a copy of their referrals and imaging/pathology requests must collect them from the practice. Medical Certificates and invoices are the only documents that can be emailed if requested. 

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Our practice team aims to answer telephone calls within 2-3 rings, however during busy periods this is not always possible. Our recorded phone message advises patients if it is a life threatening emergency, to hang up and call 000 immediately.

Our triage system identifies and provides patients requiring urgent care with priority appointments. In matters where a face to face consultation is not considered clinically necessary, our practice team may provide patients with access to a GP via telephone or electronic means to discuss their medical care.

In our practice, the procedure for GPs and clinical staff returning a patient telephone call, is to schedule the patient a phone consultation where appointments are available. Alternatively a message is forwarded onto the GP for them to return telephone calls between patients, during breaks or at the end of the day at the doctors' discretion.

We maintain our patients’ privacy and confidentiality in telephone communication by:

• Not disclosing personal health information to anyone other than the patient.
• If an outside query is pursued we refer the call to one of our GPs.

We take feedback and complaints very seriously.

Our practice is committed to continuous improvement and seeks patient feedback to assist in identifying ways to improve the practice's processes and patient experience. Changes made based on feedback are communicated to patients and others to demonstrate the value of their feedback.

If you have a complaint or if you wish to make any suggestions, please feel free to talk to your doctor, the receptionist team or the Practice Manager. Alternatively you may prefer to write to us via the enquiries form regarding your problem or suggestion. We shall endeavour to improve our services to provide quality care to our patients. 

If you feel that your complaint has not been resolved satisfactorily you may contact the Health Complaints Commissioner on 1800 001 170.

Our practice is committed to protecting your personal information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act 1988, the Privacy Amendment Act 2000 and other applicable privacy laws. Our practice has a My Health Records policy that covers the specific requirements of My Health Records Act 2012 and My Health Records Rule 2016 (Rule 42 (1)).

Your medical record is a confidential document. It is the policy of this practice to maintain security of personal health information at all times and to ensure that this information is only available to authorized members of staff.

Introduction

This privacy policy is to provide information to our patients, on how their personal information (which includes your health information) is collected and used within our practice, and the circumstances in which we may share it with third parties.

Why and when your consent is necessary

When you register as a patient of our practice, you provide consent for our GPs and practice staff to access and use your personal information so they can provide you with the best possible healthcare. Only staff who need to see your personal information will have access to it. If we need to use your information for anything else, we will seek additional consent from you to do this.

Why do we collect, use, hold and share your personal information?

Our practice will need to collect your personal information to provide healthcare services to you. Our main purpose for collecting, using, holding and sharing your personal information is to manage your health. We also use it for directly related business activities, such as financial claims and payments, practice audits and accreditation, and business processes (eg staff training).

What personal information do we collect?

The information we will collect about you includes your:

• names, date of birth, addresses, contact details
• medical information including medical history, medications, allergies, adverse events, immunisations, social history, family history and risk factors
• Medicare number (where available) for identification and claiming purposes
• healthcare identifiers
• health fund details.

Dealing with us anonymously

You have the right to deal with us anonymously or under a pseudonym unless it is impracticable for us to do so or unless we are required or authorised by law to only deal with identified individuals.

How do we collect your personal information?

Our practice may collect your personal information in several different ways.

1. When you make your first appointment our practice staff will collect your personal and demographic information via your registration form.
2. During the course of providing medical services, we may collect further personal information.
3. We may also collect your personal information when you send us an email or SMS, telephone us, make an online appointment.
4. In some circumstances personal information may also be collected from other sources. Often this is because it is not practical or reasonable to collect it from you directly.

This may include information from:

• your guardian or responsible person
• other involved healthcare providers, such as specialists, allied health professionals, hospitals, community health services and pathology and diagnostic imaging services
• your health fund, Medicare, or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (as necessary).

When, why and with whom do we share your personal information?

We sometimes share your personal information:

• with third parties who work with our practice for business purposes, such as accreditation agencies or information technology providers – these third parties are required to comply with APPs and this policy
• with other healthcare providers
• when it is required or authorised by law (eg court subpoenas)
• when it is necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to a patient’s life, health or safety or public health or safety, or it is impractical to obtain the patient’s consent
• to assist in locating a missing person
• to establish, exercise or defend an equitable claim
• for the purpose of confidential dispute resolution process
• when there is a statutory requirement to share certain personal information (eg some diseases require mandatory notification)
• during the course of providing medical services, through My Health Record (eg via Shared Health Summary, Event Summary).

Only people who need to access your information will be able to do so. Other than in the course of providing medical services or as otherwise described in this policy, our practice will not share personal information with any third party without your consent.

We will not share your personal information with anyone outside Australia (unless under exceptional circumstances that are permitted by law) without your consent.

Our practice will not use your personal information for marketing any of our goods or services directly to you without your express consent. If you do consent, you may opt out of direct marketing at any time by notifying our practice in writing.

How do we store and protect your personal information?

Your personal information may be stored at our practice in various forms. Eg Electronic records and visual records {xrays, ct scans and photos}

Our practice stores all personal information securely. We use passwords on our computers and staff sign confidentiality agreements.

How can you access and correct your personal information at our practice?

You have the right to request access to, and correction of, your personal information.

Our practice acknowledges patients may request access to their medical records. We require you to put this request in writing and fill in our “Personal Health Information Request Form” and our practice will respond within a 30 day period.

Our practice will take reasonable steps to correct your personal information where the information is not accurate or up to date. From time to time, we will ask you to verify that your personal information held by our practice is correct and current. You may also request that we correct or update your information, and you should make such requests in writing to our Practice Manager - email address reception@bbhc.com.au

How can you lodge a privacy-related complaint, and how will the complaint be handled at our practice?

We take complaints and concerns regarding privacy seriously. You should express any privacy concerns you may have in writing. We will then attempt to resolve it in accordance with our resolution procedure.

You may email them to reception@bbhc.com.au. Or alternatively you may post them to our mailing address at PO Box 40, Blackmans Bay, Tas 7052. Our contact number is 03-62294111. Our practice will respond within a 30 day period.

You may also contact the OAIC. Generally, the OAIC will require you to give them time to respond before they will investigate. For further information visit www.oaic.gov.au or call the OAIC on 1300 363 992.

Policy review statement

This policy will be reviewed regularly to ensure it is in accordance with any changes that may occur. When policy is amended patients will be notified via updated Practice Information Sheet and a notice placed on noticeboard in waiting room.

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