Confidentiality

Policy

Staff are obligated to treat all patient and business information confidentially and in accordance with:

• Health Information Privacy Code 2020
• Privacy Act 2020

All staff are trained to understand the Health Information Privacy Code and the Privacy Act. They sign the confidentiality agreement, and confirm their understanding and agreement to this policy, during their induction and orientation.

Staff should consult the Health Information Privacy Code or Privacy Act, or speak to the privacy officer if they have any questions concerning information confidentiality.

For more information, see Safeguarding Patient Information and Adverse Events.

Information confidentiality

Patient information

Patients are entitled to access their personal information. Patients expect that their health information is kept confidential and treated as sensitive.

Staff are not permitted to disclose patient information to other parties except where:

• there is an exception to the rules around the collection and release of patient information

  For example:

  • sharing patient information with external agencies, as part of the patient's health care
  • discussing a patient's treatment pathway with the practice's wider clinical team
  • using patient information anonymously for legitimate professional activities such as:
    • peer review
    • case studies
    • student doctor training
    • data collection/research.
      

• when they are making a proactive disclosure to prevent risk.

If a third party requests access to patient information, staff must request authorisation from the patient before it is released.

All conversations with patients or staff regarding patient care must be held in a private area to make sure information can't be seen or overheard.

For more information, see Patient Access to Records, Disclosing Patient Information, and Mandatory and Discretionary Reporting.

Operational and business information

Staff are not permitted to disclose information about the operation of the business without authorisation, unless:

• it is necessary for the staff member to perform their duties
• they are making a legal protected disclosure.

This restriction applies both during and after employment at the practice.

Staff should direct internal disclosures to the practice manager, the director of the practice.

If an employee believes on reasonable grounds that there has been serious wrongdoing within the organisation, they can make a protected disclosure to an appropriate authority under the Protected Disclosures Act 2022.

For more information, see Human Resources, and Health and Safety.

Key words: whistleblowe

Practice confidentiality agreement

Do you want to use our confidentiality form?

Confidentiality agreement