Moon Street Medical Centre respects the privacy of patients and their families. To provide you with the best possible care, it is important for you to be able to trust us and share with us all the necessary information to enable us to diagnose and treat you.

To protect your privacy Moon Street Medical Centre’s staff follow the privacy principles standards in accordance with the RACGP Code of Practice for the management of personal health information in General Practice.

Health information may be contained in paper records and may also be held electronically, or in other mediums depending on the tests and treatment you have had (for example, x-ray records). All Moon Street Medical Centre’s staff are bound by a strict legal duty of confidentiality. It is an offence for staff to give information about you, except under very limited circumstances.

All doctors and practice staff have signed a confidentiality statement.

Your information is kept under strict security. Personal health information will only be disclosed to a third party where consent has been obtained. Request for transfer of medical information to another doctor will only occur when a signed consent form by the patient has been obtained.

Personal medical records are held at this practice for seven years after date of last consultation. Children’s medical records are held until the patient’s 25th birthday, then a further seven years after last consultation. The Moon Street Medical Centre has taken measures to protect all personal health information. There is no unauthorised after hours access to the surgery. We have a security monitored alarm system in place incase of any break and enter. Electronic files are protected by a password and has virus protection.

If you have any questions about our policies please check with our practice manager or your doctor.

In some circumstances we are legally obliged to disclose information about you. Examples include:

• Where your records have been subpoenaed for a court case.
• Where we are legally required to collect information about particular health conditions such as life-threatening diseases, or diseases with high public health risks.

Moon Street Medical Centre supports your rights to see what health information is held about you. Access to your health records is usually provided simply through our Administrative Access to Health Policy.

You also have the right to request access to your health records under the Freedom of Information Act. If there is information in the health record that is incorrect, or which you do not agree with, you also have the right to request that it be corrected.

For information on access to your health information, please contact our Administrative Staff who will arrange an appointment with your doctor.