Contact Details
Please inform our reception staff if your current contact details have changed so that your information in our system can be updated. This includes home phone number, mobile number, address, Medicare card details, Pension card details, next of kin and any other relevant information.
Cultural Status
We encourage patients to identify their cultural status to us so that we can do our best to offer any specialised services available, particularly as part of The Closing Gap Health Initiative in Australian Health Policy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Language and Interpreter Services
If English is not your preferred language or you are deaf, you may require an interpreter. Please advise the receptionist at the time of making your appointment if an interpreter is required, your preferred language and dialect, or for deaf patients whether an Auslan sign interpreter is required.
Follow-up Appointments
Your doctor is obligated to review patients with abnormal test results or if further assessment is recommended. Even patients with normal test results may need a follow up consultation in order to assess the medical problem further, particularly if it has not resolved. If you receive notification to attend for a recall visit, please contact our reception staff to book an appointment with your doctor.
If your symptoms are not settling or if they are worsening, it is recommended that you make another appointment to see the doctor.
Repeat Prescriptions and Referrals
An appointment is necessary to review a medical condition prior to the issuing of repeat prescriptions or ongoing referrals. We are offering Telephone consultations which can be made online or by phoning the clinic on 9497 1188 to organise a time. This is not only to satisfy medico-legal obligations but also to ensure optimal patient management and treatment.
Results
All results can be discussed by making an appointment with your doctor either face to face or as a Telehealth consult at the moment . Reception staff are not medically trained to be able to provide or discuss specific results, but may be able to relay the doctor’s comments. Doctors will notify patients by telephone if a result requires urgent attention.
For results of x-rays or scans patients need to make a follow-up appointment with the doctor who referred them for the tests.
Reminders
The practice is committed to preventative care. We ask your permission for you to be included in our reminder system. As part of this reminder system, you will receive reminders for pap smears, immunisations, blood pressure checks, skin cancer checks and health assessments if they are recommended by your doctor. If you do not want to be part of this system, please advise the doctor or the receptionist.
SMS Appointment Reminders
The clinic practice management software sends out automatic SMS text reminder messages to patient’s mobile phones the day before a scheduled appointment or procedure. Please respond to these messages when they are received.. If you do not want to be part of this system, please advise our receptionists.
Telephone Calls
The clinic doctors prefer not to be interrupted during consultations, except for emergencies. The receptionist will take a message from you and relay them to your doctor when they are available. It is recommended that for medical matters that are of concern to patients that an appointment is made with the doctor in order to assess and manage the condition appropriately.
Change of Address or Custody
Changes in you address or contact details should be provided to our receptionist when attending the practice. It is requested that if there are any changes in child custody arrangements that court documentation is provided to the doctor at the time of the consultation.
Health Information and Privacy Policy
It is the policy of this practice to maintain strict confidentiality and security of patients personal health information at all times, and to ensure that this information is only available to authorised members of staff. All staff members are trained in computer security. In compliance with the Commonwealth Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000, and the Privacy Amendment Act (2014), Armstrong Street Medical Centre has a Privacy Policy, which is available on request and which complies with the Australian Privacy Principles.
The practice uses a computerised medical record system to record your personal information and medical information, and has engaged a dedicated IT provider to maintain our computer systems. The practice has installed a 24 hour security system to ensure the security of the premises.
This practice submits patient data to various disease specific registers (cervical, breast, and bowel screening registers) to assist with preventative health management with patient consent.
Medical records are the property of the practice. Patients have the right to access their medical records under the Privacy Act 1988 and the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic). Only written requests on the appropriate practice form for access to medical records will be accepted.
Click here to read our full Privacy Policy.
Your Rights
Despite our best intentions, complaints may arise. Our practice deals with complaints in a courteous and understanding manner. Patient satisfaction affects health outcomes and our practice acknowledges that patient complaints are an important source of customer feedback. We welcome your suggestion on how we can improve the practice, so please feel free to speak to the practice manager or receptionist. If there are more serious complaints, it is preferable to write to the practice manager outlining the problem. If there is a need to make a formal complaint, please contact the Health Care Complaints Commission’s inquiry service toll free 1800 136 066.
Quality Improvement Activities and Initiative
The practice engages in quality improvement activities in several ways, and we update our practice policy and procedures in line with the guidelines provided by professional organisations and from suggestions provided by patients.
In particular the practice seeks and responds to patient feedback on their experience of the practice to support quality improvement activities. We have a suggestion box at reception for patients to confidentially provide feedback. The practice also uses anonymous paper based patient questionnaires on occasion in order to get patient feedback. Patients are also encouraged to provide their doctor and our reception staff face to face feedback during their visit. Patients are also encouraged to provide their doctor and our reception staff face to face feedback during their visit.
As a result of the input from patient feedback, the practice has instituted several changes that have improved the service we provide to patients including:
- Expanding the services offered at the clinic,
- Recruiting allied health professionals (including a psychologist, dietitian, diabetic educator, podiatrist and pathology collection) to provide services at the clinic,
- Calling patients if the doctor is running late by over 30 minutes,
- online with information about any new services offered at the practice,
- Online bookings on our website for existing patients of the practice,
- SMS notifications and confirmations of appointment for patients who have given consent for SMS messaging,
- SMS recalls and reminders for patients who have given consent for SMS messaging,
- Health reminders in regards to preventative health measures when patients make an online appointment or confirm an appointment,
- Home visits by doctors at the practice, Aged care facility visits by doctors at the practice
Computerised Practice
The clinic doctors keep medical records on our computer system, and all the doctors in our clinic can access these as and when required.
Pathology and radiology results are imported directly.
Immunisations are transmitted immediately to the Australian Immunisation Register.
Prescriptions are generated in a printed, crosschecked format, which reduces errors by doctor or chemist.
Computer security is maintained by the use of a secure off-site server, protected by firewalls. Files are backed up every night.
Our staff are able to assist with enquiries about the new MyHealthRecord.
Clinic Policy Regarding Cancelling Appointments
If you are unable to attend your appointment, please let us know as soon as possible. This will then allow us to offer the cancelled appointment to other patients. We often have patients on our cancellation list waiting for earlier appointments. Patients who fail to notify us 24 hours notice of a cancellation will incur a fee of $80. Patients with a history of non attendance may not be offered future appointments
Confidentiality
All information given to your doctor, either verbally or in writing, is treated in the strictest confidence. Patient medical records are confidential documents and may be provided to another person, only with the consent of the patient or on the order of a court. It is the policy of the practice to maintain security of personal health information at all times and to ensure that this information is only available to authorized members of staff.
Disclaimer
None of the contents of the site or its newsletters are intended to be interpreted as professional, medical, or training advice and should not be considered as such. This site is not intended to offer medical advice, but is provided for informational purposes only.
Any person with a personal health concern is advised to seek medical opinion and management.
Livingstone Street Clinic accepts no liability for any personal interpretation of the information provided on the website or in the newsletter, or for the use or misuse of the information contained herein.
While Livingstone Street Clinic makes every effort to publish accurate information on this site, we don’t make any claims or representations about use of our content for any purpose. We specifically disclaim any liability, loss or risk, personal or otherwise, arising directly or indirectly through any use of this site, or information included in this site.
Livingstone Street Clinic does not warrant that this site will be provided on an uninterrupted basis, or that your access to the site will be error-free, or that the site content does not contain any viruses or defects, which may damage your computer or network. You are strongly advised to take your own precautions concerning virus checking and the security of your computer in accessing the site. Furthermore, links to other sites are provided for general information and convenience only.
Livingstone Street Clinic Social Media Policy
Current as of April 23, 2021 Name of social media officers: Kay & Nita
Introduction
This policy provides guidance for members of the practice on using social media internally and externally.
The policy helps identify and mitigate risks associated with social media use
Definition
For the purposes of this policy, ‘social media’ is online social networks used to disseminate information through online interaction.
Purpose
Regardless of whether social media is used for business-related activity or for personal reasons, the following policy requirements apply to all GPs and practice staff of the practice. GPs and practice staff are legally responsible for their online activities, and if found to be in breach of this policy penalty’s could include employment termination for serious breaches.
Use of practice social media accounts
The practice will appoint a staff member as a social media officer responsible for managing and monitoring the practice’s social media accounts. All posts on the practice’s social media website must be approved by this staff member. The practice reserves the right to remove any content at its own discretion.
Staff conduct on social media
When using the practice’s social media, practice staff will not: ( at the moment we don’t have any social media presence but this will apply when in place)
- post any material that
- is unlawful, threatening, defamatory, pornographic, inflammatory, menacing or offensive
- infringes or breaches another person’s rights (including intellectual property rights) or privacy, or misuses the practice’s or another person’s confidential information (eg do not submit confidential information relating to our patients, personal information of staff, or information concerning the practice’s business operations that have not been made public)
- is materially damaging or could be materially damaging to the practice’s reputation or image, or another individual
- is in breach of any of the practice’s policies or procedures
- use social media to send unsolicited commercial electronic messages, or solicit other users to buy or sell products or services or donate money
- impersonate another person or entity (eg by pretending to be someone else or another practice employee or other participant when you submit a contribution to social media) or by using another’s registration identifier without permission
- tamper with, hinder the operation of, or make unauthorised changes to the social media sites
- knowingly transmit any virus or other disabling feature to or via the practice’s social media account, or use in any email to a third party, or the social media site
- attempt to do or permit another person to do any of these things
- claim or imply that you are speaking on the practice’s behalf, unless you are authorised to do so
- disclose any information that is confidential or proprietary to the practice, or to any third party that has disclosed information to the practice
- be defamatory, harassing or in violation of any other applicable law
- include confidential or copyrighted information (eg music, videos, text belonging to third parties)
- violate any other applicable policy of the practice.
Monitoring social media sites
The practice’s social media channels are part of our customer service and should be monitored and dealt with regularly. At the moment we don’t have any social media presence.
Testimonials
The practice complies with AHPRA national law and takes reasonable steps to remove testimonials that advertise their health services (which may include comments about the practitioners themselves). The practice is not responsible for removing (or trying to have removed) unsolicited testimonials published on a third-party website or in social media accounts over which they do not have control.
Personal social media use
Staff are free to personally engage in social media outside of work hours, as long as their actions do not have the potential to bring the practice into disrepute. Employees may not represent personal views expressed as those of this practice.
Any social media posts by staff on their personal social media platforms must not reveal confidential information about the practice or a person who uses the practice (eg staff should not post information relating to patients or other staff, or information concerning the practice’s business operations that have not been made public).
Staff should respect copyright, privacy, fair use, financial disclosure and other applicable laws when publishing on social media platforms.
Breach of policy
All social media activities must be in line with this policy.
Policy review statement
We will review this document annually or if sooner if our presence on social media channel
Communication with patients by electronic means ( Email Policy)
Policy
The practice is mindful that even if patients have provided electronic contact details, they may not be proficient in communicating via electronic means and patient consent needs to be obtained before engaging in electronic communication. Electronic communication includes email, facsimile and Short Message Service (SMS).
Communication with patients via electronic means is conducted with appropriate regard to privacy
The practice’s primary reason for communicating electronically to patients is to issue appointment reminders and we verify the correct contact details of the patient at the time of the appointment being made.
Whilst not encouraged, the practice allows patients an opportunity to obtain advice or information related to their care by electronic means, but only where the general practitioner determines that a face-to-face consultation is unnecessary and that communication by electronic means is suitable. Our practice will only provide information that is of a general, non-urgent nature and will not initiate electronic communication (other than SMS appointment reminders) with patients. Any electronic communication received from patients is also used as a method to verify the contact details we have recorded on file are correct and up-to-date.
Communication with patients via electronic means is conducted with appropriate regard to privacy. Before obtaining and documenting the patient’s consent, patients are fully informed through information in our privacy information brochure of the risks associated with electronic communication in that the information could be intercepted or read by someone other than the intended recipient. Any emails received into the clinic are dealt with promptly and responses sent as appropriate.
When an email message is sent or received in the course of a person’s duties, that message is a business communication and therefore constitutes an official record. Patients are informed of any costs to be incurred as a result of the electronic advice or information being provided, and all electronic contact with patients is recorded in their health record.
All members of the practice team are made aware of our policy regarding electronic communication with patients during induction, and are reminded of this policy on an ongoing basis. They are made aware that electronic communications could be forwarded, intercepted, printed and stored by others. Each member of the practice team holds full accountability for emails sent in their name or held in their mailbox, and they are expected to utilise this communication tool in an acceptable manner. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Limiting the exchange of personal emails
- Refraining from responding to unsolicited or unwanted emails
- Deleting hoaxes or chain emails
- Email attachments from unknown senders are not to be opened
- Virus checking all email attachments
- Maintaining appropriate language within electronic communications
- Ensuring any personal opinions are clearly indicated as such, and
- Confidential information (e.g. patient information) must be encrypted.
Our practice reserves the right to check an individual’s email accounts as a precaution to fraud, viruses, workplace harassment or breaches of confidence by members of the practice team. Inappropriate use of the email facility will be fully investigated and may be grounds for dismissal.
The practice uses an email disclaimer notice on outgoing emails that are affiliated with the practice stating . “This email contains confidential information intended only for the person named above and may be subject to legal privilege and confidentiality obligations imposed by legislation or be subject to intellectual property protection or copyright. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, disclosure, copying or distribution of this transmission is prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify us immediately by return email and delete the original email and any attachments. Livingstone Street Clinic provides no guarantee that this transmission is free of virus or that it has not been intercepted or altered.”
