Privacy Policy

Introduction

Wide Bay Nuclear Medicine (ABN: 20 665 764 894) is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of personal information entrusted to us. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store and disclose personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), and other applicable legislation governing private health service providers.

This Policy applies to all personal information handled by Wide Bay Nuclear Medicine in the course of providing diagnostic and related healthcare services. Any updates or amendments to this Policy will be published on our website as they occur.

By engaging with our services or providing personal information to us, you acknowledge and agree to the handling of your information as outlined in this Policy.

Why We Collect Personal Information

Wide Bay Nuclear Medicine collects personal information to enable the delivery of nuclear medicine and diagnostic services, support continuity of care, and facilitate effective communication with referring practitioners and other healthcare providers.

If requested information is not provided, this may limit our ability to deliver services or meet clinical, administrative, or legal requirements.

Sources of Personal Information

We may collect personal information from a range of sources, including:

Patients
Referring doctors and other healthcare professionals
Employees, contractors, and prospective staff
Service providers and suppliers
Legal guardians, carers, or authorised representatives

Where it is not practical to collect information directly from a patient, we may obtain it from:

Family members, carers, or emergency contacts
Healthcare professionals involved in your treatment
Government systems such as My Health Record (where participation is enabled)
Medicare, private health insurers, or regulatory authorities

How Personal Information Is Collected

Personal information may be collected through a variety of means, including:

Patient registration and consent forms
Telephone, email, or face-to-face communications
Online enquiries or interactions via our website
Referrals and correspondence from healthcare providers

In some circumstances, information may also be provided by third parties such as insurers, government agencies, or other medical practices.

Types of Information We Collect

We collect only information that is reasonably necessary to provide healthcare and operate our services, which may include:

Personal details such as name, address, contact information, date of birth, and gender
Health information including medical history, clinical findings, diagnostic reports, images, medications, allergies, and treatment details
Medicare, Department of Veterans’ Affairs, and private health insurance information for billing and claims
Diagnostic images and related clinical data
Employment-related information for staff, including credentials, qualifications, and compliance checks

How We Safeguard Your Information

Wide Bay Nuclear Medicine takes reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, or disclosure. Information is stored securely in both electronic and physical formats, including medical images and reports.

Our security measures include:

Secure servers, encryption, and firewall protection
Access controls limiting information to authorised personnel only
Confidentiality obligations for all staff and contractors

Personal information is retained only for as long as required by law or clinical guidelines. When no longer needed, it is securely destroyed or permanently de-identified.

How Personal Information Is Used

Your personal information may be used for purposes including:

Providing nuclear medicine and diagnostic services
Communicating with referring practitioners and other healthcare providers involved in your care
Managing appointments, billing, and claims with Medicare or private health funds
Meeting legal, accreditation, and regulatory obligations
Internal auditing, quality improvement, and service evaluation

Where appropriate, information may be de-identified and used for research, reporting, or business analysis.

Disclosure of Personal Information

Wide Bay Nuclear Medicine may disclose personal information to third parties where required to support service delivery. This may include external service providers, some of whom may be located overseas.

All third parties engaged by us are required to comply with Australian privacy standards and are bound by confidentiality and data protection obligations.

Accessing and Correcting Your Information

We take reasonable steps to ensure personal information is accurate and up to date. Patients are encouraged to notify us of any changes to their details.

You may request access to your personal information by contacting our Human Resource / Privacy Manager. Identity verification may be required, and a reasonable administrative fee may apply.

For clinical reports and imaging, we recommend accessing these through your referring healthcare provider or via our secure patient portal where available.

Privacy Enquiries or Complaints

If you have a question, concern, or complaint regarding how your personal information is handled, please contact:

EMAIL | mgilbert@carlislehealth.com.au

We will respond to all enquiries and complaints in a timely and respectful manner.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):

GPO Box 5218
Sydney NSW 2001
EMAIL | enquiries@oaic.gov.au
PHONE | 1300 363 992
WEBSITE | www.oaic.gov.au