Privacy Policy

The Health Information Privacy Code (2020) has been developed essentially for health agencies and their consumers and has strict guidelines with regard to your privacy and our obligations to assist you in protecting your privacy while you are a patient at Gore Hospital.

The Code covers how healthcare providers should collect, record, store and disclose individual's health information. The code also allows that health providers can share your information with other agencies as appropriate. Only authorised people entitled to view the information in the course of providing and evaluating services to the patient shall have access to individual health records. For more information on the Health Information Privacy Code visit the Privacy Commissioner website at: www.privacy.org.nz

Information obtained by staff at Gore Hospital about you is held in strictest confidence and is used for your ongoing health care.

Personal and Health Information that Gore Health Collects
The information we collect includes but is not limited to: 

• Personal Details (eg Name, Date of Birth, Contact Details and Registered GP).  

• We also collect health information (medical history, symptoms, treatments, test results) that help to provide health services to you.

• Administrative and eligibility information

​

Why We Collect Your Information

• Provide and support appropriate care and treatment

• Coordinate services across healthcare providers

• Contact you to provide advice or information relating to your treatment

• Meet legal, regulatory and contractual obligations

• Support funding, planning, and quality of services

​

You do not have to provide the information requested or allow us to collect information from other healthcare providers. However, if you choose not to give information or permission, we may not be able to provide appropriate services to support your diagnosis, care or treatment.

How Information is Collected
If practical we collect information directly from you.  However, if this is not possible, we may collect information from a third party.  For example, a relative, power of attorney or another health care provider.

Where necessary we may also receive and collect your health information indirectly from the following:

​​

• Receipt of laboratory, radiology or other results.

• Correspondence from after-hours services, hospital and specialists, which can include, clinical notes, discharge summaries, specialist letters, laboratory and imaging results.

• Letter and notification from referral providers, including correspondence referring you to our services

• Contact from or correspondence from non-health agencies such as Police, legal representatives, Oranga Tamariki, Insurance Companies, Work and Income and the Accident Compensation Corporation ACC.

Disclosure or Sharing of your Health Information
To facilitate continuation of care following your discharge from our services, it is our practice to disclose your health information to your nominated General Practitioner.  If you do not want your health information disclosed to your General Practitioner please let us know.

We also use or disclose your information:

• For the purposes it was collected, or purposes directly related to that purpose

• For any purpose for which you have authorised

• Otherwise, where we are permitted or required to do so by law

• If we think it is necessary for your care and treatment

• If we your safety or the safety of others may be affected

• Ministry of Health or other government agencies where required for administrative, legal, funding, research or public health purposes

• Any other healthcare professional involved in your care.

​​

Storage of your Personal Information
We store personal information in a variety of ways including paper and electronic formats.  Original paper formats will be digitised. Once this process has been completed the digital copy is viewed as the authoritative record and the paper copy is securely destroyed. We take reasonable steps to protect your information from loss, misuse, modification, disclosure and unauthorised access.

​​

Accessing your Personal Medical Records
All patients have the right of access to their own personal medical records. Information shall be made available to a patient upon request unless a reason exists under the Health Information Privacy Code (2020) for withholding it. Patients can request a copy of all of it, or a selected part of it.

If you wish to have copies of your records please email Medical Records at medical.records@gorehealth.co.nz If you are an inpatient and wish to view your medical records, please ask the nursing or medical staff.

​

To ensure records are provided to authorised people only, we will need to identify the person making the request. It is acceptable for a patient to request or authorise another person to access their records on their behalf. A written authority is required.

​

 Download >>  Release of Medical Records Form 

​​​​​​

Correcting your Information
You have the right to request a correction to your information if you think it is incorrect.

​

Please e-mail Medical Records at medical.records@gorehealth.co.nz

​

If we cannot make the requested changes Gore Health will provide and explanation and include your request for change on your file.

​

CCTV
CCTV cameras are operating in some areas of our hospital such as the entrances and reception areas, Emergency Departments, and public areas. This is to keep our patients, visitors, and employees safe.

Where we have concerns regarding threats to the safety of people or property, we will engage an appropriate authority (such as the NZ Police) and CCTV footage, if still available, may be released to support the purpose of collection.

Gore Health may engage third parties to support the security function and/ or deliver threat risk assessments to enable us to meet our objective of keeping people and assets safe. Release of CCTV footage to these third parties may be required to deliver this outcome. 

Audit and Compliance
Any audits involving health information will be viewed by an appropriately qualified healthcare practitioner or quality assurance employee.

​​

Website Privacy

If you complete a contact form, subscribe to our Health News updates or submit information through our website, we will only use your information for the purpose for which it was provided.

​

Our website may collect anonymous website usage information to help us improve the performance and usability of our website.

​

Contact:
If you feel your privacy has been breached in any way you can contact the Chief Executive, Gore Hospital, or the Privacy Commissioner.

Contact: Chief Executive, Gore Hospital Ph: (03) 2093030
Privacy Commissioner Ph: 0800 803 909​​​​​​