Privacy Policy

  1. About the Privacy Policy
    This Privacy Policy explains how we manage individuals’ health and personal information. It describes the information we hold and why, as well as how that information is collected, held, used and disclosed.
  2. Dealing with us anonymously
    Where it is lawful and practical to do so, individuals may deal with us anonymously such as when inquiring about our services.
  3. Reasons for collecting personal information
    If an individual is to receive or has received a service from Wolper Jewish Hospital, we will collect and hold their personal information in order to:

    • gain an understanding of the individual’s needs so we may provide them with the required service and advice.
    • contact the individual to provide advice or information in relation to the way in which the service will be provided.
    • improve the quality of our service.
    • administer and manage those services including billing and collecting debts.
    • provide marketing materials such Hospital newsletters, updates and event invitations.
    • comply with relevant legislation and funder contractual requirements. Wolper Jewish Hospital forwards inpatient statistics data electronically to the following organisations for this purpose:
      • New South Wales Ministry of Health
      • Health insurance funds – members only
      • Australian Rehabilitation Outcomes Centre
      • Private Hospital Data Bureau
      • NSW Cancer Registry
      • Palliative Care Outcomes Collaboration
      • Department of Veteran’s Affairs
  4. Types of personal information collected
    The information collected may include an individual’s:

    • name
    • date of birth
    • occupation
    • religion
    • address (postal and email)
    • telephone numbers
    • health fund and health insurance cover details
    • medical history and other health information
    • credit card and/or bank details
    • other information necessary for our functions and activities
    • persons to contact in case of emergency
  5. Ways in which personal information is collected
    We will, if reasonable and practical to do so, collect health information and personal information directly from the individual concerned.
    (a) Patients
    This may take place when the individual fills out documents such as an admission, administrative or feedback survey forms or when the individual gives us personal and health information in person, over the telephone or online.
    We may collect personal and health information from third parties such as:
    – an individual’s representatives (e.g. authorised representative or legal adviser)
    – an individual’s health service provider
    – a health professional who has treated the individual
    – the individual’s family
    – other sources where necessary to provide a health service.
    (b) Individuals other than patients
    By providing personal information to us, you consent to us collecting, holding, using and disclosing your personal information in accordance with and only for the purposes specified in this Privacy Policy.
  6. Disclosing personal information
    (a) PatientsWe may disclose personal information for the purposes of:
    – continuity of care with other health service providers involved in the individual’s treatment or diagnostic services.
    – providing an individual with further information about treatment options.
    – conveying information to a responsible person (e.g. parent, guardian, spouse) when the individual is incapable or cannot communicate, unless the individual has requested otherwise.
    – conveying information to close family members in accordance with the recognised customs of medical practice.
    – management, funding, service-monitoring, planning, evaluation and complaint-handling.
    – legislative and regulatory compliance.
    – quality assurance or clinical audit activities.
    – accreditation activities.
    – health insurance funding.
    – billing and debt recovery.
    – addressing liability indemnity arrangements including reporting to the Hospital’s insurers and legal representatives.
    – preparing for anticipated or existing legal proceedings.
    – research or the compilation or analysis of statistics relevant to public health and safety.
    – activities directly related to the provision of health services to an individual where the individual would reasonably expect disclosure.
    (b) Individuals other than patients

    We may disclose your personal information to third parties who assist us in supplying our services or who perform operational, administrative and other related functions on our behalf (including technology and business service providers) and to others in order to comply with our legal obligations.
  7.  Marketing
    Unless you have opted out, you consent to us using your personal information for direct marketing purposes in order to tell you about Hospital and related services and offers that we think may be of interest to you. We may contact you by mail, telephone, email or SMS to market our services. We will always give you the opportunity to opt out of receiving any future direct marketing correspondence.
  8. Cross border disclosure of personal information
    We operate and communicate with organisations throughout Australia and overseas. Therefore some disclosures may occur outside the State or Territory in which an individual is resident, and in some circumstances, outside Australia. We will only disclose information to a organisation which we know will respect and follow Australian Privacy Principles.
  9. Using government identifiers
    In certain circumstances we are required to collect government identifiers such as Medicare, pension or Veteran’s Affairs numbers. We will only use or disclose this information in accordance with the law.
  10. Storing personal information
    We store personal and health information in different ways, including in paper and electronic form. The security of personal and health information is important to us and we take reasonable steps to protect it from misuse or loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.
    Some of the ways we do this include:

    • requiring our staff to maintain confidentiality.
    • implementing document storage security.
    • imposing security measures for access to our computer systems.
    • providing a discreet environment for confidential discussions.
    • only allowing access to personal and health information where the individual seeking access to their own information has satisfied our identification requirements.

    Personal and health information is retained for the period of time determined by law and is disposed of in a secure manner.

  11. Updating personal information
    We take all reasonable steps to ensure that the personal and health information we collect, use and disclose is accurate, complete and up to date. However, the accuracy of that information depends largely on the quality of the information provided to us.
    We therefore suggest that individuals:

    • advise us of any errors that require correction in their personal or health information; and
    • keep us up-to-date with changes to their personal or health information.
  12. Changes to this Privacy Policy
    We may, from time to time, amend this Privacy Policy, in whole or part, in our sole discretion. Any changes to this Privacy Policy will be effective immediately upon the posting of the revised Privacy Policy on the Wolper Jewish Hospital website. Depending on the nature of the change, we may announce the change on the home page of the website or by email (if we have your email address). However, in any event, by continuing to access our services and activities following any changes, you will be deemed to have agreed to such changes. If you do not agree with the terms of this Privacy Policy as amended from time to time, then you must not access our services and activities.
  13. Accessing sensitive information
    Medical records are the property of Wolper Jewish Hospital, however individuals have a right to access their medical records subject to some exceptions allowed by law. Individuals can contact us to request access and may view their medical record at the hospital. The viewing must take place with an appropriate staff member present. We may charge a fee for collating and providing access to personal and health information. We will only disclose such information to your authorised representative or legal advisor where you have provided written authority.
  14. Complaints
    Individuals who believe that we have breached their privacy rights in any way or wish to discuss any issues about our Privacy Policy, should contact the General Manager/Director of Clinical Services who will try to satisfy any questions and correct any errors on our part. If we do not respond within 30 days or you are dissatisfied with our response, you can contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner on 1300 363 992 or at www.oaic.gov.au
    GPO Box 5218,
    Sydney, NSW 2001
  15. Contacting Us
    Individuals may ask any questions about privacy and the way we manage personal and health information, complain about the handling of their information or obtain a form requesting access to personal and health information by contacting the General Manager/Director of Clinical Services of the Hospital either by phone or in writing.
  16. Further Information
    Please contact Wolper Jewish Hospital’s General Manager/Director of Clinical Services by email at generalmanager@wolper.com.au.
    If you would like more information about privacy in general, please refer to the Privacy Commissioner’s website: https://www.oaic.gov.au/

Updated 18 August, 2022