Shifa Medical Centre Pty Ltd · General Practice & Medical Services · Melbourne VIC

Shifa Medical Centre

Privacy Policy

How Shifa Medical Centre Pty Ltd collects, holds, uses and discloses your personal and health information under the Australian Privacy Principles.

1. Introduction

Shifa Medical Centre Pty Ltd (referred to in this policy as "we", "us" or "our") is committed to protecting the privacy of all patients, visitors and website users. This Privacy Policy explains how we handle personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the 13 Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) contained within it.

2. Who We Are

Shifa Medical Centre Pty Ltd operates a medical centre and general practice in Melbourne VIC, providing primary healthcare services including general practitioner consultations, preventive health, chronic disease management, immunisation and allied health coordination.

Our contact details for all privacy matters are:

3. The Kinds of Information We Collect (APP 1, APP 3)

We only collect personal information that is reasonably necessary for our functions and activities as a health service provider. The kinds of information we may collect include:

  • Identity information, such as your name, date of birth and gender;
  • Contact details, such as your residential address, email address and preferred method of contact;
  • Medicare, pensioner concession or veteran affairs numbers where relevant to claiming and billing;
  • Health information, including medical history, symptoms, diagnoses, treatment plans, medications, allergies, immunisation records, test results and clinical notes made by our practitioners;
  • Emergency contact and next-of-kin details;
  • Information about family members or carers where you have authorised their involvement in your care;
  • Payment and billing information;
  • Information you provide through our website, enquiry forms or appointment request forms.

Health information is classified as sensitive information under the Privacy Act. We will only collect sensitive information with your consent, or where otherwise permitted or required by law.

4. How We Collect Information (APP 3, APP 5)

Wherever reasonable and practicable, we collect personal and health information directly from you, such as when you attend the practice for a consultation, complete a new patient registration form, speak with our reception or nursing staff, or submit an enquiry through this website. We may also collect information from:

  • Other treating health practitioners, hospitals, specialists or pathology services, where you have consented or where permitted by law;
  • Your nominated emergency contacts or carers;
  • Government agencies, such as Services Australia, in connection with Medicare claims;
  • Our website systems, including cookies and analytics data (see section 10).

Where it is lawful and practicable, we will give you the option of interacting with us anonymously or using a pseudonym. However, in most clinical situations this is not practicable, as we require accurate identification to provide safe and appropriate medical care.

5. Notification of Collection (APP 5)

At or before the time we collect your personal information, we will take reasonable steps to notify you of:

  • Our identity and how you can contact us;
  • The purposes for which we are collecting the information;
  • The parties to whom we usually disclose information of that kind;
  • Whether the information is required by or authorised by law;
  • How you may access and seek correction of your information, and how to complain about a breach of the APPs.

6. Use and Disclosure of Your Information (APP 6)

We use and disclose personal and health information for the primary purpose of providing you with healthcare, and for reasonably related purposes such as billing, claims and payments, practice administration, quality assurance and staff training. This may include disclosure to:

  • Other health professionals involved in your care, such as specialists, pathologists, radiology providers and hospitals, with your consent;
  • Services Australia for the purposes of Medicare claiming;
  • Our providers of practice management software, secure clinical record systems and secure information technology services, who are bound by confidentiality obligations;
  • Government bodies, courts, tribunals or law enforcement, where required or authorised by law;
  • Our insurers or professional advisers in connection with the management of the practice.

We will not use or disclose your health information for purposes other than the primary purpose of care unless you have consented, you would reasonably expect the use or disclosure, or the use or disclosure is required or authorised by law.

7. Consent

We will seek your express consent before collecting, using or disclosing your health information in most circumstances, including before sharing your record with another treating provider outside the ordinary course of care. You may withdraw or vary your consent at any time by contacting us using the details in section 17, subject to our professional and legal obligations to maintain accurate clinical records.

8. Data Quality (APP 10)

We take reasonable steps to ensure that the personal and health information we hold is accurate, complete, up to date and relevant to the care we provide. We encourage you to advise us promptly if any of your personal details change, and to raise any concerns about the accuracy of your clinical information at your next consultation or by email.

9. Data Security and Retention (APP 11)

We take reasonable steps to protect the personal and health information we hold from misuse, interference, unauthorised access, modification and disclosure. These steps include:

  • Secure, access-controlled electronic health record systems with role-based permissions;
  • Confidentiality obligations binding all practitioners, staff and contractors;
  • Secure disposal or de-identification of personal information when it is no longer required, in accordance with our professional record-keeping obligations and applicable retention periods under health records legislation;
  • Physical security measures at our premises in Melbourne VIC.

10. Website Data, Cookies and Analytics

When you visit this website, we may collect technical information such as your browser type, device type, pages viewed and the date and time of your visit. This information is used to maintain, secure and improve the website and is not used to identify you personally. We may use cookies and similar technologies to support the functioning of the website. You may configure your browser to reject cookies, although some features of the website may not function as a result.

Any personal information you submit through an enquiry or appointment request form on this website will be handled in accordance with this policy and used only to respond to your enquiry and arrange care where requested.

11. Direct Marketing (APP 7)

We do not sell, rent or trade your personal information. Where we send practice communications, such as reminders for preventive health checks or recalls for follow-up care, these are sent because they relate directly to your ongoing healthcare. You may opt out of non-clinical communications at any time by contacting ceo@shifamedicalcentreau.space. Clinical recalls and reminders that are important to your health will not cease simply because you opt out of marketing.

12. Cross-Border Disclosure (APP 8)

Some of our information technology and software service providers may store or process data outside Australia. Where personal information is likely to be disclosed to an overseas recipient, we take reasonable steps to ensure that the recipient does not breach the APPs in relation to that information, including through contractual safeguards and careful selection of reputable providers.

13. Government Identifiers (APP 9)

We only adopt, use or disclose government-related identifiers, such as Medicare numbers, where required or permitted by law, or where reasonably necessary to verify your identity for claiming, billing or coordination of care.

14. Access and Correction (APP 12, APP 13)

You have a right to request access to the personal and health information we hold about you, and to request correction of information that you believe is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, irrelevant or misleading. To make a request, please email ceo@shifamedicalcentreau.space. We will respond to your request within a reasonable period.

Access to clinical records is usually provided through your treating practitioner to ensure the information is correctly interpreted, and a reasonable administrative fee may apply for copying records. There are limited circumstances under the APPs and health records legislation in which access may be refused; if this occurs, we will provide written reasons and information about how to seek review of the decision.

If we refuse to correct information as requested, we will give you written reasons and, where you ask us to, we will associate a statement with the record noting the correction you sought.

15. Notifiable Data Breaches

If a data breach occurs that is likely to result in serious harm to any individual whose information we hold, we will assess the breach promptly and, where required under the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme, notify affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) as soon as practicable.

16. Complaints and Privacy Concerns

If you have a complaint about how we have handled your personal information, or you believe we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles, please contact us first so we can address your concerns:

Email: ceo@shifamedicalcentreau.space

We will acknowledge your complaint and provide a written response within a reasonable period, usually no more than 30 days. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner:

  • Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC), online at oaic.gov.au

You may also raise concerns with the Health Complaints Commissioner in Victoria if your complaint relates to the handling of health information.

17. Contacting Us About Privacy

For any questions about this Privacy Policy, to request access to your records, or to update your personal details, please contact:

Privacy Officer
Shifa Medical Centre Pty Ltd
Melbourne VIC, Australia
Email: ceo@shifamedicalcentreau.space

18. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements or the services we provide. The current version will always be published on this website. This policy was last reviewed and updated in 2025.