Patient health information privacy statement


Purpose

This document sets out why we collect your information and how that information will be used. This promotes and protects the privacy of personal information. This has also been designed to ensure that you can trust how and where your information is being stored, how it is being used, and steps that are being taken to ensure your privacy is protected.


Maintaining your trust and privacy is important to us:

  • We only collect what we need to help you and your whänau (family).
  • We only use what we know to improve your health and the health of the community.
  • We don't sell anything we know to anyone, ever.
  • We only share what we know with people in the health system who we know will look after your information the way we do.
  • We look after what we know and keep it secure,


Your health record is YOUR health record — you can see it, correct it, and know what we have done with it—just ask 


Why we collection your information

We collect your health information to provide a record of care. This helps you receive quality treatment and care when you need it. We also collect your health information to help: 

  • keep you and others safe 
  • plan and fund health services 
  • carry out authorised research 
  • train healthcare professionals 
  • prepare and publish statistics 
  • improve government services


Information collected from other sources

We may also collect health and personal information about you from other sources where this is lawful, appropriate and necessary for your care.

These sources may include:

  • Other health care providers involved in your care (such as hospitals, specialists, urgent care centres, telehealth services, midwives, allied health providers, Well Child/ Tamariki Ora providers, laboratories and radiology services ).
  • National health information systems, such as the National Enrolment Service (NES), Aoteaora Immunisation Register, National Screening Unit (cervical, bowel, breast and newborn screening programmes), and e-prescribing systems.
  • Pharmacists and pharmacy services, including information about medicines prescribed or dispensed.
  • Public health authorities, where reporting is required by law (for example, notifiable conditions).
  • Whanau, carers or support people, where you have given consent or where this is necessary for your care and safety.
  • Government agencies or authorised organisations, where collection is permitted or required by law (such as police notification of firearms license).


If you provide a service with our details as your medical centre (for example, audiology, optometry, dentistry or physiotherapy), we may receive information about your health care from that service.


If we receive information about you directly that is not included in the scenarios above, and it isn’t clear you know it has been shared with us, then we will take reasonably steps to inform you about what we have received.


Use of your health information

Following are some examples of how your health information is used: 

  • Your practice is contracted to a Health Hawke's Bay Primary Health Organisation (PHO), HHB may use your information for clinical and administrative purposes including obtaining subsidised funding for you.
  • Your District Health Board (DHB) and/or Te Whatu Ora uses your information to provide treatment and care, and to improve the quality of its services.
  • A clinical audit may be conducted by a qualified health practitioner to review the quality of services provided to you. They may also view health records if the audit involves checking on health matters.
  • When you choose to register in a health programme (eg immunisation or breast screening), relevant information may be shared with other health agencies.
  • The Ministry of Health uses your demographic information to assign a unique number to you on the National Health Index (NHI). This NHI number will help identify you when you use health services.
  • The Ministry of Health holds health information to measure how well health services are delivered and to plan and fund future health services. Auditors may occasionally conduct financial audits of your health practitioner. The auditors may review your records and may contact you to check that you received those services.
  • Notification of births and deaths to the Births, Deaths and Marriages register may be performed electronically to streamline a person's interactions with government. 


Information sharing e Your health practitioner will record relevant information from your consultation in your notes.


e Your health information will be shared with others involved in your healthcare and with other agencies with your consent, or if authorised by law.

This practice is part of the opt-off Shared electronic Health Record. This means that when you visit ED, an afterhours urgent care centre, the hospital or other health providers a summary of your health record may be available for them to look at. This helps makes the care you receive safer. If you do not want this to happen talk to your general practice team.


You don't have to share your health information, however, withholding it may affect the quality of care you receive. Talk to your health practitioner if you have any concerns. You have the right to know where your information is kept, who has access rights, and if the system has audit log capability, who has viewed or updated your information.


Your information will be kept securely to prevent unauthorised access.


Information quality

We're required to keep your information accurate, up-to-date and relevant for your treatment and care.


Right to access and correct

You have the right to access and correct your health information.


You have the right to see and request a copy of your health information. You don't have to explain why you're requesting that information, but you may be required to provide proof of your identity. If you request a second copy of that information within 12 months, you may have to pay an administration fee.


You can ask for health information about you to be corrected. Practice staff should provide you with reasonable assistance. If your healthcare provider chooses not to change that information, you can have this noted on your health information record.


Many practices now offer a patient portal, which may allow you to book on-line, view some of your practice health records online and request repeat prescriptions. Ask your practice if they're offering a portal so you can register.


Research

Your health information may be used in research approved by an ethics committee or when it has had identifying details removed.

Research which may directly or indirectly identify you can only be published if the researcher has previously obtained your consent and the study has received ethics approval.

Under the law, you are not required to give consent to the use of your health information if it's for unpublished research or statistical purposes, or if it's published in a way that doesn't identify you.


Audit

In the case of financial audits, my health information may be reviewed by an auditor for checking a financial claim made by the practice, but only according to the terms and conditions of section 22G of the Health Act (or any subsequent applicable Act). You may be contacted by the auditor or to check that services have been received. If the audit involves checking on health matters, an appropriately qualified health care practitioner will view the health records.


Complaints

It's OK to complain if you're not happy with the way your health information is collected or used. Talk to your healthcare provider in the first instance. If you are still unhappy with the response you can call the Office of the Privacy Commissioner toll-free on 0800 803 909, as they can investigate this further.


For further information

Visit www.legislation.govt.nz to access the Health Act 1956, Official Information Act 1982 and Privacy Act 2020.

The Health Information Privacy Code 2020 is available at www.privacy.org.nz. You can also use the Privacy Commissioner's Ask Us tool for privacy queries.


A copy of the Health and Disability Committee's Standard Operating procedures can be found at http://ethics.health.govt.nz/operating-procedures

Further detail concerning the matters discussed in this Fact Sheet can be found on the Ministry of Health website at Personal health information standards Health New Zealand I Te Whatu Ora