Australia RACGP Standards for After-hours and Medical Deputising Services (5th edition) C6.3: Confidentiality and privacy of health information: patients are told how the service manages their personal health information and how to access it; the service transfers information in response to valid requests in a timely, authorised and secure way; and only authorised team members can reach health records, prescription pads and other official documents

What does C6.3 require?

Privacy is a legal duty under the Privacy Act and the Australian Privacy Principles. The service publishes a privacy policy describing what it collects, why, how it is stored and disclosed, including routine disclosure to the regular practice, and how patients can ask for access to or correction of their record. When a valid request arrives, from the patient, a practice or someone with lawful authority, the service verifies it, transfers only the relevant information by a secure method and acts without delay. Access to records, prescription pads and similar documents, including those carried in vehicles and doctor's bags, is limited to team members who need it, and staff sign confidentiality agreements.