RMC Privacy Statement

1 May 2026

Overview

This statement tells you how Redcliffs Medical Centre uses and shares your personal information. 

Your ‘personal information’ is any information that can identify you as an individual. Your ‘health Information’ includes information about your health or disabilities and medical history. In this statement when we say ‘information’, we mean both your personal information and your health information. 

We comply with the Health Information Privacy Code 2020, and the Privacy Act 2020. 

If you have any queries about anything in this statement, email our Business & Centre Manager - Erin McBrearty on erin@redcliffsmc.co.nz  or phone 03 3841151.

Collection of your information

We collect your personal and health information so that we can provide you with care and treatment, communicate with you and inform you of health services that may be relevant to you such as screening programmes.

We collect information from you directly, or from someone you have agreed we can speak to, for example, whānau, a support person or a relative. We will talk to you first to collect information unless there is good reason not to, for example, if you are sick and cannot agree to the information being provided to us.

To provide health services to you, your information is collected from other health care providers and organisations. These providers will have their own policies for sharing your information with us. Health providers we work with and receive information from can include other doctors, specialists, hospitals, laboratory and radiology and other results providers, community and social service providers, social workers, and other health professionals such as dental and optometry providers. Other organisations such as ACC and insurers, Ministry of Social Development and Police may also send us information as required.  We will tell you when we have collected information from another health care provider.

Collection of information is authorised under the Health Information Privacy Code 2020 and Privacy Act 2020 and related health legislation like the Health Act 1956.

How we use and share your information

We use your personal and health information to provide you with healthcare, this includes assessing your health needs, diagnosing and treating conditions, and managing your ongoing care. We also use your personal and health information to support the safe, effective running of our services, and we share it only when it is necessary for your care, required or permitted by law, or needed to meet funding, safety, and regulatory obligations.

We use your information to provide you with health services and share necessary and relevant information with other healthcare providers and professionals involved in your care such as specialists, hospitals, pharmacists, laboratories, and community health services. This helps ensure continuity of care and that all providers have the information they need to support your treatment.

We may also share information with other organisations where required or permitted by law, including for:

• referrals and specialist consultations

• test results and diagnostic services

• medication requirements (e.g. pharmacists)

• funding, eligibility, and claiming purposes (e.g. with government health agencies)

• quality assurance, auditing, and service improvement

• public health and safety reporting

Where possible, we will only share the minimum necessary information and will do so securely. We will generally seek your consent or to tell you before sharing your information, unless the sharing is directly related to your care, is required by law, or is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious threat to your health or safety or that of others.

​

There are times when by law we are required to share information, for example when requested by Manatū Hauora | Ministry of Health, or the Health and Disability Commissioner.

​

Pegasus Health (Charitable) Limited receives information from us so that you can receive subsidised funding, and clinical and administrative support.

​

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.

​

Our practice uses HealthOne. HealthOne is a South Island based secure electronic record that allows registered healthcare providers 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 the HealthOne website.  Please note that you are entitled to restrict the sharing of your healthcare records by contacting 0508 837 872 or emailing healthone.privacy@pegasus.health.nz.

Holding your information

Information is kept for as long as legally required and for our specific organisational purposes. We are required to keep your health information for a minimum of ten years after the last time we provided you with a health service.

Your rights

You have the right to:

• Ask us to see any of your personal information that we hold.

• Ask us to correct your information if you think it is wrong.

Your caregiver or representative can also ask for information about you.

To make a request to see or correct your information, please contact us on 03 384 1151.

​

If we receive a request for health information that we do not hold, or that is more appropriately provided by another healthcare provider, we will let you know as soon as possible.

Where appropriate, we may transfer your request directly to the relevant provider (for example, a hospital, specialist, or laboratory), so they can respond to you. Alternatively, we will advise you on who to contact and how to make your request.

We will only transfer your request where it is reasonable and lawful to do so, and we will take care to ensure your information is handled securely.

We aim to respond to, or transfer, requests as soon as we can, and no later than 10 working days. If a response is going to take longer than 20 working days from the date of your request, we will let you know and keep you updated.

We will talk to you about how to give you the information, for example, if you want this as hard copy printed documents, or if we can email it to you. It is important that you receive your information safely. This may mean that we agree with you to send documents by courier requiring your signature, or the information is collected in person.

If the information is collected in person, then you will need to provide identity information, such as your driver’s licence or passport. This is so we ensure we provide the information to the right person. We only need to see the identity information, and don’t keep a copy. 

If your caregiver or representative asks us for information, we must provide this, unless a specific legal circumstance applies. These circumstances most commonly are: 

• We don’t think it is in your best interests to provide the information 

• We believe that you do not want the information to be provided 

• There is a reason under the Privacy Act why the information should not be provided. 

We may first ask your representative for some further information so that we know we are speaking to the right person and that they are authorised to talk to us on your behalf.

​

​

Privacy Complaints

If you have concerns about your privacy and the handling of your personal information, please let us know. We will work with you and do our best to resolve your concern. We are always open to improving our processes and systems. 

If we are unable to resolve your concern, you have the right to complain to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner. Options for contacting the Privacy Commissioner are on the Commissioner’s website (privacy.org.nz). 

​​

© 2026 by Redcliffs Medical Centre
This statement is provided for information purposes only. It may not be reproduced, distributed, or adapted for commercial use without prior written permission.