Privacy Policy

Updated 11th May 2026

By accepting health care services from us, you agree we can collect information about you for the purpose of maintaining an up-to-date health record and providing safe and quality health care.

 

Information we commonly collect include

• Medical information including history and medications

• NHI number

• Demographics and contact details

• Health insurance and other relevant information

 

Where we might obtain information about you

From you or your supports through

• Forms you fill out

• History taken during a consultation

• Information gathered from support people (with your consent, although sometimes family or other support people can contact us raising concerns and this is also recorded in your notes)

• Correspondence in writing or verbally with us

 

From other health providers and shared health records through

• Receipt of laboratory, radiology or other results

• Accessing authorised national or regional health information systems from Health Connect South or HealthOne, to support your care by checking your medical history, laboratory or radiology results and current prescribing

• Receipt of correspondence from your general practice, hospitals, emergency departments, after-hours providers, specialist services, allied health providers or other secondary and community care providers – including referrals, discharge summaries, outpatient or specialist letters

• Proactively contacting a hospital or specialist service to follow up on a referral or seek advice or an update on your care, where that contact results in information about you being shared with us

 

From non-health agencies and organisations through

• 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

 

Information collected is stored on an electronic, cloud-based patient management system called “Elixir” which complies with New Zealand standards for security. Some clinicians may also use paper records which will be kept securely.

 

Ōtautahi Clinic also utilises “Heidi”, which is an ambient AI tool that records the consultation and then summarises it. It does not keep audio recordings of consultations and identifiable information is removed prior to processing in a secure cloud database.

 

Disclosure of your information

Only staff who need to see your personal information will access it. In general, we will send a comprehensive clinic letter summarising the consultation back to your GP.

 

As our clinicians must continue to meet professional and continuing learning requirements, occasionally they may discuss your case anonymously with other qualified health professionals as part of peer review to ensure the care they provided is to a high standard.

 

We will otherwise not share your health information with others unless this is required to comply with legislative obligations such as a court order, or to prevent serious harm to yourself or others.

 

 

If reasonable attempts have been made to discuss late or non-payment with you without a solution, we may pass on your contact details and a copy of your outstanding invoice to a debt collection agency. Your health information would not be shared.

 

Complaints

If concerns are raised about the care or services we provide, we may disclose relevant health information to our regulators, insurers, indemnity providers, or legal advisers for the purpose of managing and responding to the concerns.

 

Your rights of access and correction

Under rules 6 and 7 of the Health Information Privacy Code, you have the right to request access to the health information this practice holds about you, and request correction of that information, if you believe it to be inaccurate.

 

Please note that this organisation is contributing to, and accessing healthcare information from HealthOne.

 

What is HealthOne?

HealthOne is a secure electronic record that allows registered health care professionals directly involved in your healthcare, to quickly access information such as your test results, allergies, medications, GP summaries and hospital information. HealthOne adheres to the principles of the Privacy Act 2020 as well as the Rules set out in the Health Information Privacy Code 2020. Access is only possible via an approved highly secure healthcare information network which is regularly audited and tested. Privacy auditing is used to check that only those directly involved in your care are accessing your information. To find out more about HealthOne please visit https://healthone.org.nz/ . Please note that you are entitled to restrict the sharing of your healthcare records by contacting 0508 837 872 or emailing privacy@healthone.health.nz