Privacy Policy

Our practice follows the rules set out below whenever we collect, use, store or disclose information about your health:

Collecting your health information

When we collect health information from you we will:

• Only collect information for the purpose of treating you (or for some related purpose);
• Collect the information directly from you unless you have authorised us to collect the information from someone else (or we have some other lawful reason for collecting the information from someone else); and
• Tell you why we are collecting the information and what we will do with it.

Using your health information

We will not use your health information for any purpose other than for the purpose of treating you unless we get your consent, or we will use your information in a way that doesn’t identify you, or where we have some other lawful reason for doing so.

Storing your health information

We will store your health information securely so that only authorised people can access or use your information.

Disclosing your health information

We will not disclose your health information to anyone without your consent unless we have a lawful reason for doing so.

Assess and correction of your health information

You can ask us to confirm whether we hold information about you. If we hold information about you, you have the right to access the information.

You can ask us to correct any information we hold about you if you think it is inaccurate. If we refuse to correct your information, you can ask us to add a note to your information stating that you have requested the correction.

Information we may access or receive from other sources (Rule 3A / IPP3A)

From 1 May 2026, the Health Information Privacy Code 2020 includes Rule 3A, which requires health agencies to take reasonable steps to ensure you are aware when we collect health information about you from someone other than you, unless an exception applies.
As part of providing your care, we may access or receive health information about you from other sources, such as:
• Authorised national or regional health information systems to support your care (for example, checking your medical history, laboratory or radiology results, current prescribing, or vaccination status)
• Correspondence from hospitals, emergency departments, after-hours providers, specialist services, allied health providers or other secondary and community care providers (for example, discharge summaries, outpatient letters or specialist letters)
• Hospital or specialist services to follow up on a referral or seek advice or an update on your care,
• Letters from screening programmes (such as bowel, breast or cervical screening), including results, or notifications regarding attendance or non-attendance,
• Contact from or correspondence with Police, legal representatives, Oranga Tamariki, insurance companies, Ministry of Social Development (Work and Income New Zealand) and the Accident Compensation Corporation
• Receipt of correspondence from employers, regarding, for example, fitness to work
• Information from the New Zealand Police regarding firearms licences

Resources

• Office of the Privacy Commissioner – What is IPP3A
• Office of the Privacy Commissioner – Notification requirements for indirect collection of personal information
• IPP3A Indirect Collection Flowchart

Enquiries

If you have any concerns relating to your health information, please ask to speak with our Privacy Officer.