Privacy Policy

North Shore Radiology & Nuclear Medicine is committed to protecting the privacy of our patients and prospective patients. We do this by being transparent about how we collect, use, store and disclose personal information, by only handling information that is reasonably necessary for health-related purposes or with patient consent, and by responding promptly to any privacy concerns.

This Privacy Statement explains how North Shore Radiology & Nuclear Medicine collects, uses, discloses and manages personal information, including sensitive (health) information, in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and other applicable health privacy and confidentiality laws.

This Privacy Statement also applies to personal information we collect and hold about referring Health Professionals (and their nominees), Medical Specialists and hospital staff (and their nominees), other health service providers, individuals who supply goods and services to North Shore Radiology & Nuclear Medicine and other individuals with whom we have dealings.

Why we collect and hold personal information

North Shore Radiology & Nuclear Medicine collects and retains personal information

(including sensitive (health) information) in order to:

• provide high-quality medical imaging services;
• assist in the diagnosis, treatment and ongoing medical care of patients and prospective patients; and
• provide patient-related services to referring Health Professionals and other health service providers and their nominees.

How we collect personal information

We generally collect personal information directly from you. However, we may also collect personal information from third parties, including your referring Health Professional, Medical Specialist, hospital or other health service providers, where this information is reasonably necessary for your care.

If you choose not to provide personal information (including sensitive (health) information), we may be unable to provide you with the services you request.

Types of personal information we collect

The main categories of personal information collected and held by North Shore Radiology & Nuclear Medicine include:

• name;
• address;
• telephone number(s);
• email address;
• date of birth; and
• gender.

We also collect and hold sensitive (health) information, including but not limited to:

• results of imaging studies, tests or procedures;
• clinical history (including medications, previous imaging or pathology results);
• information provided by your referring Health Professional or Medical Specialist;
• information provided by other health professionals or authorised third parties;
• administrative and billing information (including Medicare, insurance or health identifier details);
• information required or authorised by Australian law or a court or tribunal order; and
• any other information you provide when attending our clinics, contacting us, or interacting with us via our website.

Accessing prior imaging from other providers

As part of providing comprehensive and high-quality diagnostic imaging services, North Shore Radiology & Nuclear Medicine may, with your consent or where otherwise permitted by law, request access to and obtain copies of your prior imaging studies and associated reports from other imaging providers, hospitals or health services.

Access to prior imaging assists our radiologists by enabling clinical comparison and longitudinal assessment, which may improve diagnostic accuracy and reporting quality.

Where practicable, we will seek your express consent to obtain and store prior imaging from other providers. If you do not consent, this may limit our ability to provide comparative or follow-up reporting.

Storage of prior imaging

Where prior imaging studies or reports are obtained from external providers, North Shore Radiology & Nuclear Medicine may securely store copies of those images and reports within our clinical systems, including our Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) and reporting databases, as part of your health record.

All stored imaging and reports—whether obtained internally or externally—are subject to the same confidentiality obligations, security controls, access restrictions and retention requirements.

How we use personal information

We may use personal information (including sensitive (health) information) for purposes including:

• assessing your health status;
• preparing and providing specialist medical imaging reports to your referring Health Professional or Medical Specialist;
• providing treatment and ongoing health care (unless you notify us otherwise);
• internal administrative purposes, including billing and debt management;
• appointment reminders and service communications;
• incident management, legal or insurance matters where required;
• quality assurance, accreditation, audit and complaint handling;
• research and professional education, using de-identified information only;
• recruitment and employment processes; and
• responding to enquiries submitted through our website.

Disclosure of personal information

North Shore Radiology & Nuclear Medicine does not sell personal information and does not disclose patient information to organisations or individuals not involved in your care.

We may disclose personal information where reasonably necessary and relevant for medical, ethical, legal or administrative purposes, including to:

• your referring Health Professional and their authorised nominees;
• Medical Specialists and registered Health Professionals involved in your care;
• hospital medical staff;
  registered Health Professionals granted access to our secure Referrer Portal;
• insurers and billing entities (e.g. Medicare, workers compensation or private health insurers);
• your authorised representatives;
• government or regulatory authorities where required or authorised by law; and
• our professional advisors (such as auditors and legal advisors).

We may use or disclose de-identified information for quality improvement, service evaluation, education and research purposes.

Overseas disclosure

North Shore Radiology & Nuclear Medicine does not disclose or store personal information outside Australia.


All systems, contractors and service providers engaged by us operate within Australia and are subject to Australian privacy and health confidentiality laws.

Accuracy of personal information

We take reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information we collect, use and disclose is accurate, up-to-date and complete. We encourage you to notify us if your information changes or if you believe the information we hold is inaccurate.

Access to and correction of information

You may request access to, or correction of, personal information we hold about you. Requests may be subject to identity verification and, in some cases, lawful exceptions under the Privacy Act. We will provide reasons if access or correction is refused and advise you of complaint options.

Data security and retention

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. Records are retained in accordance with legislative and regulatory requirements, including:

• at least 7 years from the last service for adults; and
• until age 25 for individuals under 18 at the time of service.

When information is no longer required, it is securely destroyed or de-identified.

Online access by Health Professionals

North Shore Radiology & Nuclear Medicine provides a secure, password-protected Referrer Portal for registered Health Professionals involved in patient care. Access is logged, monitored and governed by strict user access agreements and professional confidentiality obligations.

Complaints
If you have concerns about how we handle your personal information, you may contact the North Shore Radiology & Nuclear Medicine Operations Manager. Complaints are investigated promptly and generally responded to within 30 days.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may refer the matter to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):

https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-complaints