Email Policy

It is the policy of Balcatta Medical Group to maintain security of personal health information at all times and to ensure that this information is only available to authorised members of staff. Balcatta Medical Group’s Email Policy is in place to ensure reasonable steps are taken to ensure the communication of personal health information via email is safe and secure. It is, however, critical that GPs, staff and patients are aware of the associated risks with using email to send personal health information.

 Purpose

Balcatta Medical Group is receiving requests from patients to send personal health information via email. The Practice is required to adhere to the Privacy Act 1988(Privacy Act) and as such has protocols and precautions in place to ensure this information is sent as securely as possible, with informed consent obtained from the patient.

 Scope

This policy applies to all requests for sending of personal health information to a patient via email. This policy applies to all employees of Balcatta Medical Group

Risks

Communication/ sending of unencrypted medical document through e-mail has a number of risks which include, but are not limited to, the following:

- E-mail can be circulated, forwarded and stored in paper and electronic files.

- Backup copies of e-mail may exist even after the sender or the recipient has deleted his/her copy.

- E-mail can be received by unintended recipients.

- E-mail can be intercepted, altered, forwarded or used without authorization or detection.

- E-mail can be used to introduce viruses into computer systems.

You should not communicate with Balcatta Medical Group via email if any of the above risks concern you.

Schedule 8 Medication

Our Doctors do not prescribe S8s on first visit. We require medical records transferred from previous practice in order to enable our doctors to cater for the patient’s healthcare needs.