Privacy Policy & Patient Information

Renwick General Practice
Last updated: November 2026

Renwick General Practice is committed to protecting the privacy, confidentiality and security of your personal and health information. We respect your right to privacy and handle your information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), applicable NSW privacy and health records legislation, and relevant professional obligations.

This policy explains how we collect, use, store and disclose your personal information, how you can access or correct your medical records, and how you can provide feedback or raise a concern.

1. What Personal Information Do We Collect?

During your interactions with our practice, we may collect and hold personal information, including:

• Your name, date of birth, address and contact details.
• Medicare number and private health insurance details.
• Emergency contact and next-of-kin information.
• Medical history, current conditions, allergies and medications.
• Consultation notes, diagnoses, treatment plans and clinical observations.
• Pathology, imaging and other investigation results.
• Specialist referrals, hospital correspondence and discharge summaries.
• Billing, payment and Medicare information.
• Information about your lifestyle, family history and other relevant health circumstances.

We only collect information that is reasonably necessary to provide healthcare and manage our practice.

2. How Do We Collect Your Information?

We generally collect personal information directly from you when you:

• Register as a patient or book an appointment.
• Attend a consultation or receive treatment.
• Complete patient registration or medical history forms.
• Contact us by telephone, email or through our website.
• Provide information to our reception or clinical staff.

We may also collect relevant information from other sources, including:

• Other healthcare providers and specialists.
• Pathology and radiology providers.
• Hospitals and other medical facilities.
• Medicare and health insurance providers.
• Your authorised representative or carer, where appropriate.

Where possible, we will explain why information is being collected and how it will be used.

If you choose not to provide certain information, we may be unable to provide some healthcare services safely or effectively.

3. How Do We Use and Disclose Your Information?

Your personal and health information is used primarily to provide appropriate medical care and support your ongoing health needs.

We may use or disclose your information for:

• Providing medical consultations, diagnosis and treatment.
• Coordinating referrals and ongoing healthcare.
• Requesting and reviewing pathology and diagnostic investigations.
• Communicating with specialists, hospitals and other healthcare professionals involved in your care.
• Processing Medicare claims and managing billing.
• Appointment scheduling, reminders and follow-up communications.
• Meeting legal, regulatory and professional obligations.
• Practice administration, quality improvement and accreditation activities.

We will not disclose your health information to unrelated third parties without your consent unless disclosure is authorised or required by law, or permitted in circumstances such as a serious threat to life, health or safety.

We may also use or disclose information for healthcare purposes where permitted under applicable privacy legislation.

4. How Do We Store and Protect Your Information?

Your personal and medical information may be stored electronically or in physical records.

We take reasonable steps to protect your information against:

• Unauthorised access.
• Misuse or disclosure.
• Loss or theft.
• Unauthorised alteration or destruction.

Access to patient records is restricted to authorised practice personnel who require the information to perform their duties.

We retain medical records in accordance with applicable legal and professional requirements.

If a data breach occurs, we will respond in accordance with applicable privacy and data breach notification requirements.

5. Third-Party Services and Overseas Disclosure

We may use external service providers to support our practice operations, including appointment booking, clinical record management, electronic communication, pathology, diagnostic services and information technology.

These providers may process or store information on our behalf.

Where personal information is disclosed to overseas recipients, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that the disclosure complies with applicable privacy requirements.

Patients may contact our practice if they would like further information about the service providers involved in managing their information and any overseas data storage arrangements.

6. Accessing and Correcting Your Medical Records

You have the right to request access to your personal and health information held by Renwick General Practice.

If you would like to access your medical records, please contact our reception team by telephone or email. We may ask you to submit your request in writing and provide sufficient information to verify your identity.

We aim to respond to access requests within a reasonable period, generally within 30 days.

Access may be provided in an appropriate format, subject to applicable privacy and legal requirements. A reasonable administrative fee may apply where permitted by law.

Requesting a Correction

If you believe any information in your medical record is inaccurate, incomplete, out of date or misleading, you may request a correction.

Please contact our practice and identify the information you believe needs correcting.

We will review your request and take reasonable steps to correct the information where appropriate.

If we decide not to make a requested correction, we will explain our reasons in writing and advise you of your options, including requesting that a statement outlining your disagreement be attached to your record.

There is no charge for requesting a correction.

7. Email, SMS and Online Communications

Renwick General Practice may communicate with patients using telephone calls, SMS messages, email and online booking or communication platforms.

These methods may be used for:

• Appointment confirmations and reminders.
• Appointment changes and cancellations.
• Administrative information.
• Follow-up arrangements.
• Requests to contact the practice.
• Other relevant patient communications.

Electronic communication may carry privacy and security risks. Standard email and SMS are not necessarily secure, and there is a possibility that messages may be accessed by someone other than the intended recipient.

We take reasonable precautions when communicating electronically and encourage patients to inform us of their preferred communication method.

Please notify reception if you change your contact details or do not wish to receive certain types of electronic communication.

We may need to contact you by another method where necessary for your healthcare.

Please do not use ordinary email, SMS or general website contact forms to send urgent medical information or sensitive medical details.

8. Website Enquiries and Online Forms

Our website may provide online enquiry and appointment-related forms to help patients contact the practice.

Information submitted through these forms will be used to respond to your enquiry or manage your request.

Please avoid including unnecessary sensitive medical information in general website enquiry forms.

Important: Online forms and general website enquiries are not monitored as an emergency service.

Do not use these forms for urgent medical concerns, emergencies or situations requiring immediate medical attention.

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 000 immediately or attend your nearest emergency department.

For urgent medical advice that is not an emergency, contact the practice by telephone or seek appropriate medical assistance.

9. Patient Feedback and Complaints

We value patient feedback and are committed to providing safe, respectful and high-quality healthcare.

If you have a concern about our services, staff, treatment or privacy practices, we encourage you to contact us so that we can investigate and work towards a resolution.

You can provide feedback or lodge a complaint by:

• Speaking with our reception team.
• Calling us on 02 4341 7722.
• Emailing admin@renwickgp.com.au.
• Writing to or visiting our practice at 6 Renwick Street, Wyoming NSW 2250.

Please provide relevant details about your concern, including dates and the nature of the issue, so we can investigate appropriately.

We will:

1. Acknowledge your complaint.
2. Review the circumstances and relevant information.
3. Discuss the matter with the appropriate staff members where necessary.
4. Work towards a fair and appropriate resolution.
5. Communicate the outcome to you.

We aim to acknowledge complaints promptly and provide a response within 30 days where practicable. If additional time is required, we will keep you informed.

You will not be disadvantaged in your future care because you have raised a concern or made a complaint.

External Complaints

If you are not satisfied with how your complaint has been handled, you may contact the relevant external authority.

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC)
Website: https://www.oaic.gov.au
Telephone: 1300 363 992

NSW Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC)
Website: https://www.hccc.nsw.gov.au
Telephone: 1800 043 159

10. Accessibility and Interpreter Assistance

Renwick General Practice aims to provide an inclusive and welcoming environment for all patients.

We understand that some patients may require additional assistance when accessing healthcare services.

If you have accessibility requirements, mobility difficulties, hearing or vision impairments, or other communication needs, please inform our reception team when booking your appointment.

We will make reasonable efforts to assist with your requirements and discuss suitable arrangements.

Interpreter Services

If you require assistance communicating in English, you may request an interpreter when booking your appointment.

We can assist patients in accessing interpreter services, including the Australian Government’s Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National).

TIS National can be contacted on 131 450.

Please advise our reception team in advance if you require an interpreter so appropriate arrangements can be made.

Website Accessibility

We aim to make our website readable and easy to navigate across desktop computers, tablets and mobile devices.

We encourage patients who experience difficulty accessing information on our website to contact our practice by telephone or email for assistance.

11. Medical Investigation Results

Your health and wellbeing are important to us. We have processes in place to ensure that investigation results are reviewed and communicated appropriately.

These may include pathology tests, blood tests, X-rays, ultrasound scans and other diagnostic investigations.

How Do I Obtain My Results?

Patients are encouraged to arrange a follow-up appointment with their doctor to discuss investigation results, particularly where the results relate to an ongoing medical condition or treatment plan.

Your doctor will explain the results, their significance and whether any further investigations, treatment or follow-up are required.

You may contact our reception team to enquire about the availability of your results and whether a follow-up appointment is required.

Clinically Significant Results

Our doctors review investigation results and determine the appropriate follow-up based on their clinical significance.

Where a result requires urgent or prompt medical attention, we will make reasonable efforts to contact you using your available contact details and arrange appropriate follow-up.

Please ensure that your telephone number and other contact details are kept up to date.

Important: If you have not heard from the practice about your investigation results, this does not mean that your results are normal or that no further action is required.

Please arrange a follow-up appointment or contact our practice if you have not received your results within the timeframe advised by your doctor.

Do not delay seeking medical advice because you are waiting for a result or a telephone call.

12. Prescription Requests

Patients requiring repeat prescriptions should contact our reception team to arrange an appropriate consultation or prescription review.

Repeat prescriptions are subject to the treating doctor’s assessment and approval.

Some medications require regular monitoring, a review of your medical condition or an appointment before a further prescription can be issued.

Please allow sufficient time for prescription requests to be processed.

Prescription requests are not an emergency service and should not be submitted through general website enquiry forms.

13. Referral Requests

If you require a referral to a specialist or another healthcare provider, please contact our practice to arrange an appointment with your doctor.

Referrals are generally issued following a clinical assessment to ensure they are appropriate for your medical needs.

Please note that referral renewals, specialist changes and requests for new referrals may require a consultation.

Our practice will advise you if further information or an appointment is required.

14. Privacy Enquiries

If you have any questions about how we collect, use, store or disclose your personal information, or wish to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us.

Renwick General Practice
Address: 6 Renwick Street, Wyoming NSW 2250
Telephone: 02 4341 7722
Email: admin@renwickgp.com.au
Website: https://renwickgp.com.au

We take privacy enquiries seriously and will work with you to address your concerns.

15. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in legislation, professional standards, technology or our practice procedures.

The latest version will be made available on our website.

Patients may request a printed copy of this policy from our reception team.

Thank you for choosing Renwick General Practice. We appreciate your trust and are committed to protecting your privacy and providing quality healthcare.