You may be worried about access to and the use of information about you held by this Health Centre. In recognition of this, the following material has been produced for your reassurance and information.
The Health Centre follows the New Zealand Health Information Privacy Code. You can read the full text of this at the Privacy Commissioner website or request to see our copy.
All Health Centre Staff and visiting staff and trainees are required to sign a confidentiality agreement.
Clinical information is not available to academic staff or other University of Canterbury staff. The only exception is that information contained in medical certificates or Special Consideration Applications provided to other University of Canterbury staff with your consent.
Medical information about you is now kept on computer using the ‘Medtech’ system, although some of you may have old ‘hard’ notes as well. Only staff of this clinic has access to the computer information.
Access
Computer Medical Notes
These can be accessed by all Health Centre staff, however:
- There is a facility within our computer system for making particular consultation notes only accessible to specified providers should you wish us to do this on any occasion
- No member of the staff is permitted to browse without proper reason
- All staff and trainees and also IT support staff sign confidentiality agreements.
Counselling notes
Counselling notes are recorded in ‘Medtech’ - the same rules apply as to medical records.
All counselling notes are marked confidential prior to medical notes being transferred to your next practice. We only included counselling notes where consented by you, the client.
Access to your own notes
You are welcome to peruse or have copies of your own notes. We usually require proof of identity for this, and also usually enable this in the presence of a Doctor/counsellor in case there are items that require clarification or interpretation.
If you believe there are any incorrect entries we are happy to annotate your file to this effect. We do not, however, delete any data in this circumstance except in the case of there being some other person’s medical information wrongly entered in your file.
Disposal and retention of notes
Redundant Health Information eg copies of letters or results which have been filed electronically are shredded by the University confidential document disposal contractors.
Medical notes
Medical notes that exist as hard files are either scanned into your medical notes or retained at the Health Centre in a secure facility and sent to your next GP. We are required to keep all hard copy notes (unless scanned) for 10 years from the date of last data entry.
Computerised clinical files are ‘inactivated’ when a student advises they have left our care, or if it becomes apparent that they will not be attending us again due to leaving university, going overseas etc, but remain retrievable within the system should they be required.
Counselling notes
Counsellors notes are entered into the medical database (together with any medical notes). You can ask your Counsellor to mark them confidential, which means only your Counsellor and the Medical Director can see them. All counselling notes are marked confidential before transferring medical notes to your next GP
Transfer of notes
When you leave the university Health Centre we are happy to transfer your medical file to your next GP. We do not normally include your counselling files unless specifically requested. We do not transfer any notes to other parties without your consent unless there is a legal requirement to do so e.g. to the coroner after a suicide.
Communication
We utilise the following means of communication: letters, text, cell phone and landline calls and email. In all cases we strive to be discreet if messages are left.
Privacy and sharing of your Health Information
This practice is bound by the 'Health Information Privacy Code'. We are required to inform you what happens to the information we collect on you. We have a copy of the Code if you would like to see it. You can also read it on the Privacy Commissioner's website.
You may request to see and correct any information we hold about you. All the information you impart is strictly confidential to the Practice.
There are some instances when information we have collected about you will be shared with others:
- In the interests of quality medical care, (see examples below). This includes the rare instances where there is perceived to be serious risk to the life or health of you or others. It also includes using information in practice activities eg screening, preventive health reminder systems etc
- For you to obtain financial benefits under the health and social welfare systems
- For the practice to participate in contracts relating to pharmaceutical and laboratory budget holding with an IPA or PHO.
When we share information you should be aware of:
When we share information such as your name, date of birth, date of contact with the practice etc. it may be given to:
- Ministry of Health’s funding agency (name subject to change)
- Accident Compensation – see below also
- An IPA, independent practitioners association or a PHO, Primary Health Organisation – see below also
- Your pharmacy in your prescription and then on to Ministry of Health
In addition to the above information, RELEVANT Medical Information may be given to:
- Emergency departments or after hour's clinics, where authorised personnel may access relevant medical information that we hold through the (developing) 'shared record'.
- ACC with your consent, (when you sign an M45, you consent to the release of information to ACC)
- Ministry of Health Funding agency when you apply for a high user card, or the practice makes a maternity benefit claim on your behalf, (pregnancy number and date of last period for maternity claims) or a GMS claim
- Income Support when you apply for a Disability Allowance, Sickness Benefit
- Medical Laboratories when you are referred for tests (to aid interpretation of results)
- Community/Public Health in instances of Notifiable Diseases
- Cervical screening test results, previous screening history to the Cervical Screening Register via the Laboratory with your consent
- The police on request, only in very limited circumstances covered in detail under the Health Information Privacy Code
- The coroner in some cases of death
- The Ministry of Health and/or local practitioners in cases where people are trying to obtain prescription drugs for illegal purposes
- Intensive Medicines Monitoring Program for patients on medicines in this program
- Medicines Adverse Reactions Committee for patients with a significant drug reaction
Detailed information is often given to:
- Any specialist or other health care service to which you are referred with your consent
- Insurance Companies to ascertain Medical, Life or Disability Cover for you - you consent to this when you sign the application for the policy.
Please read our Health Centre Privacy Statement for more information. If you have any concerns or queries about the above, please speak to your Doctor or the Medical Director or Manager.
