Purpose
To provide advice to The Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) how RCH protects the privacy of patient and staff personal information.
Scope
All RCH staff
Definition of terms
Personal Information is factual data or opinion about an individual
who may be identified, directly or indirectly, by the material. It can
be in any medium including electronic or paper records, video or audio
recordings, clinical photography, x-rays, or labels on pathology
samples.
Policy
From
8th August 2020, a shared Electronic Medical Record (EMR) between RCH, the
Royal Melbourne Hospital, The Royal Women’s Hospital and Peter MacCallum Cancer
Centre (the Parkville Health Services) will allow the Parkville Health Services
to access a patient’s record if that patient has been treated at any of the
Parkville Health Services. Staff at each of the Parkville Health Services are
required to adhere to their health service’s policies and /procedures regarding
the collection, use, and disclosure of patient information, including this policy.
Staff must only access records contained in the EMR as required as part of
their role (e.g. if involved in or supporting care and treatment of that patient).
Access to the EMR is audited regularly to monitor staff compliance. The records
may not be retained locally or deleted. They may not be printed, disclosed,
used, or amended for reasons other than patient care and treatment and only in
accordance with RCH policies and procedures.
In accordance with legislation and with procedures, RCH is committed to
ensure the privacy of personal information and its appropriate usage.
RCH is committed to;
- Meeting all legislative requirements
- Ensuring the privacy of patients and staff information
- Ensuring personal information is kept in a safe and secure environment
- Ensuring access to personal information is appropriately monitored
- Ensuring that information collected is accurate, objective and factual
- Informing staff about the correct management of person information and ensuring its privacy
- Informing staff, patients and their families about their rights to access personal information
Responsibility
Chief Financial Officer.
Related procedures
Related policies
Related legislation
Click here to access copies of the following legislation on the Victorian Government web-site.
- Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005
- Children and Young Person's Act 1989
- Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic)
- Freedom of
Information Act 1982 (Vic)
-
Freedom of
Information Regulations 1998 (Vic)
-
Health Records
Act 2001 (Vic)
-
Health Services
Act 1988 (Vic)
- Mental Health Act 2014
- Privacy and Data
Protection Act 2014 (Vic)
- Public Records
Act 1973
Vision
This policy and associated procedures are integral to the RCH achieving its vision of ‘Great Care Everywhere."
Values
- Unity
We work as a team and in partnership with our communities. - Respect
We respect the rights of all and treat people the way we would like them to treat us. - Integrity
We believe that how we work is as important as the work we do. - Excellence
We are committed to achieving our goals and improving outcomes.