COLLECTION, USE, STORAGE AND DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION- The Medical Council of New South Wales is a statutory authority whose functions include dealing with complaints, health and performance notifications in relation to incidents occurring in New South Wales about medical practitioners. The Council collects and retains information which includes personal and health information about medical practitioners and patients for these purposes, and deals with the collection, use, disclosure, security and quality of personal information in accordance with the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act, 1998 and the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002. It is the Council's role to ensure that medical practitioners are fit to practise medicine. It achieves this by ensuring registered doctors maintain proper standards of conduct and competence and by providing a range of programs and services for this purpose..
- Through the complaints and notification system, the Council receives information which may include personal information about practitioners and patients. The Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (NSW) provides that persons who obtain information through administering the Act may not disclose that information except where required by law or by consent. The Council works together with the Health Care Complaints Commission.
- Privacy principles also deal with the secure storage and disposal of information, and provide an opportunity for an individual to correct inaccurate information held about them.
- If you have a question about privacy and the Council you may email us, or phone 02 9879 2200.
June 2010
