Privacy Policy

Part A – Purpose and Context

The Doctors and Staff at Grand Central Medical Centre are committed to ensuring the privacy and confidentiality of all personal information affiliated with Grand Central Medical Centre business undertakings.

Grand Central Medical Centre follows the terms and conditions of privacy and confidentiality in accordance to the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) as per schedule 1 of the Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Act 2012 (Cth), forming part of the Privacy Act 1988 (‘the Act’).

The purpose of this Privacy Policy is to clearly communicate how Grand Central Medical Centre collects and manages personal information.

The point of contact regarding any queries regarding this policy is

The Practice Manager

PO Box 3432

Toowoomba Qld 4352

E. admin@gcmc.com.au

Part B – Purpose and Context

As a private sector health service provider and under permitted health situations, Grand Central Medical Centre is required to comply with the APPs as prescribed under the Act.

The APPs regulate how Doctors may collect, use, disclose and store personal information and how individuals, including Grand Central Medical Centre patients may:

• Address breaches of the APPs by Doctors or Staff;
• Access their own personal information; and,
• Correct their own personal information.

In order to provide patients with adequate health care services, Grand Central Medical Centre will need to collect and use personal information. It is important to be aware that if the patient provides incomplete or inaccurate information or the patient withholds personal health information, Grand Central may not be able to provide the patient with the services they are requesting.

In this Privacy Policy, common terms and definitions include

“personal information” as defined by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). Meaning “information or an opinion including information or an opinion forming part of a database, whether true or not, and whether recorded in a material format or not, about an individual whose identity is apparent, or can reasonably be ascertained, from the information or opinion” and,

“health information” as defined by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). This is a particular subset of “personal information” and means:

• Information or opinion about the health or disability (at any time ie. past, present or future) of an individual that can be classified as personal information;
• Information or opinion about an individual’s expressed wishes about the future provision of health services that can be classified as personal information;
• Information or opinion about health services provided, or to be provided, to an individual, that can be classified as personal information;
• Other personal information collected to provide, or in providing, a health service;
• Other personal information about an individual collected in connection with the donation, or intended donation, by the individual of his or her body parts, organs or body substances; or,
• Genetic information about an individual in a form that is, or could be, predictive of the health of the individual or a genetic relative of the individual.

Personal information also includes ‘sensitive information’ which is information including, but not limited to a patient’s:

• Race;
• Religion;
• Political opinions;
• Sexual preference; and or,
• Health information.

Information deemed ‘sensitive information’ attracts a higher privacy standard under the Act and is subject to additional mechanisms for the patient’s protection.

PART C – Types of Personal Information

Grand Central Medical Centre collects information from each individual patient that is necessary to provide the patient with adequate health care services.

This may include collecting information about a patient’s health history, family history, ethnic background or current lifestyle to assist the health care team in diagnosing and treating a patient’s condition.

PART D – Collection and Retention

This information will in most circumstances be collected directly from the patient through but not limited to the following mediums:

• patient consent form;
• medical treatment form, and or,
• face to face consultation.

In other instances, Grand Central Medical Centre may need to collect personal information about a patient from a third party source. This may include;

• relatives; or,
• other health service providers.

This will only be conducted if the patient has provided consent for Grand Central Medical Centre to collect his/her information from a third party source; or, where it is not reasonable or practical for Grand Central Medical Centre to collect this information directly from the patient. This may include where:

The patient’s health is potentially at risk and his/her personal information is needed to provide them with emergency medical treatment.

Grand Central Medical Centre endeavours to store and retain a patient’s personal and health information in (hard copy on site; transferred electronically onto a domestic server).

PART E – Purpose of Collection, Use and Disclosure

Grand Central Medical Centre uses a patient’s personal information for the purpose(s) they have provided the information for unless one of the following applies:

• the patient has consented for Grand Central Medical Centre to use his/her information for an alternative or additional purpose;
• the disclosure of the patient’s information by Grand Central Medical Centre is reasonably necessary for the enforcement of criminal law or a law imposing a penalty or sanction, or for the protection of public revenue;
• the disclosure of the patient’s information by Grand Central Medical Centre will prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to somebody’s life or health; or,

         Grand Central Medical Centre is required or authorised by law to disclose the patient’s information for another purpose.

Health Professionals to provide treatment

During the patient’s treatment at Grand Central Medical Centre, he/she may be referred to alternative medical treatment/service (eg. Pathology or Radiology) where Grand Central Medical Centre staff may consult with senior medical experts when determining a patient’s diagnosis or treatment.

Grand Central Medical Centre staff may also refer the patient to other health service providers for further treatment during and following the patient’s admission. These services include, but are not limited to:

• Physiotherapy / Radiology / Pathology / Specialists Services.
• Exercise Physiology; or, Allied Services
• Outpatient or community health services.

These health professionals will be designated health service providers appointed to use the patient’s health information as part of the process of providing treatment. 

Please note that this process will be conducted whilst maintaining the confidentiality and privacy of the patient’s personal information.

Alternative Health Services

At any point a patient wishes to be treated by an alternative medical practitioner or health care service that requires access to his/her personal/health information, Grand Central Medical Central requires written authorisation. This written authorisation is to state that the patient will be utilising alternative health services and that these health services have consented for a transfer of personal/health information.

Other Third Parties

Grand Central Medical Centre may provide the patient’s personal information regarding a patient’s treatment or condition to additional third parties. These third parties may include:

• parent/s;
• child/ren;
• other relatives;
• close personal friends;
• guardians; or,
• a person exercising a patient’s power of attorney under an enduring power of attorney.

Where information is relevant or reasonable to be provided to third parties, written or documented verbal consent from the patient is required.

Additionally, the patient may at any time wish to disclose that no third parties as stated are to access or be informed about his/her personal information or circumstances.

Other Uses of Personal Information

In order to provide the best possible environment to treat patients, Grand Central Medical Centre may also use personal/health information where necessary for:

• activities such as quality assurance processes, accreditation, audits, risk and claims management, patient satisfaction surveys and staff education and training;
• invoicing, billing and account management;
• to liaise with a patient’s health fund, Medicare or the Department of Veteran’s Affairs, as necessary; and,
• the purpose of complying with any applicable laws – ie. in response to a subpoena or compulsory reporting to State or Federal authorities.

If at any point or for any of the aforementioned reasons Grand Central Medical Centre uses or discloses personal/health information in accordance with the APPs, Grand Central Medical Centre will provide written notice for the patient’s consent for the use and/or disclosure.

PART F – Access and Changes to Personal Information

If an individual patient reasonably requests access to their personal information for the purposes of changing the information, he/she must engage with the practice manager.

The point of contact for patient access to personal information is:

The Practice Manager

PO Box 3432  Toowoomba

P. 07 46 37 1000

E. admin@gcmc.com.au

An appointment will need to be arrange to discuss this request.

Once an individual patient requests access to his/her personal information, Grand Central Medical Centre will respond within a reasonable period of time to provide the information.

All personal information will be updated in accordance to any changes to a patient’s personal circumstances brought to Grand Central Medical Centre’s attention. All changes to personal information will be subject to a patient’s consent and acknowledgement.

If an individual requests access to his/her personal information Grand Central Medical Centre will charge $30.00. Please note that this fee is associated with administrative costs only.

PART G – Complaints Handling

An individual patient may complain about a breach of the APPs by contacting

The Practice Manager
Grand Central Medical Centre

PO Box 3432  Toowoomba
P. 07 46371000
E.  admin@gcmc.com.au

OR
Practice Owner
Grand Central Medical Centre
Dr Rita Ponce
P. 07 46371000
E. admin@gcmc.com.au

OR
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
GPO Box 5218
SYDNEY NSW 2001
P. 1300 363 992
E.  enquiries@oaic.gov.au

PART F – Personal Information and Overseas Recipients Use of overseas parties:

Grand Central Medical Centre does not engage with any overseas entities, with which personal or health information would be transferred, appointed or disclosed.

PART I – Disposal of Personal / Health Information

If Grand Central Medical Centre receives any personal information that is not deemed appropriate for the permitted health situation, Grand Central Medical Centre will reasonably de-identify and dispose of the information accordingly.

If Grand Central Medical Centre holds any personal or health information that is no longer deemed relevant or appropriate for the permitted health situation, Grand Central Medical Centre will reasonably de-identify and dispose of the information accordingly.

PART J – Access to Policy

Grand Central Medical Centre provides free copies of this Privacy Policy for patients and staff, which can be accessed by contacting

The Practice Manager
Grand Central Medical Centre
P. 07 46371000

E. admin@gcmc.com.au 

PART K – Review of Policy

Grand Central Medical Centre, in accordance with any legislative change, will review the terms and conditions of this policy to ensure all content is both accurate and up to date.  Notification of any additional review(s) or alteration(s) to this policy will be provided to patients and staff within 4 weeks. If change occurs patients and staff are required by Grand Central Medical Centre to acknowledge the change in writing.

Quality Standards

Grand Central Medical Centre is dedicated to providing increased choice, superior medical support and quality medical services to suit all patients. We are fully accredited by Quality Practice Accreditation (previously GPA) which means we meet all the RACGP standards for General Practice which are developed by the profession for the profession.