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DVA by Leaf Doctors

Privacy Policy

Current as of 29 October 2026

This policy explains how DVA by Leaf Doctors collects, uses, stores and shares your personal and health information, and how you can access it or make a complaint. DVA by Leaf Doctors is operated by The Leaf Doctors Clinic Pty Ltd (ABN 56 671 455 646), with clinics at Strathpine QLD and Newtown NSW. We comply with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles, which apply to private health services in Queensland and across Australia; the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW) for our Newtown clinic; and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners’ guidance on privacy and managing health information.

Who this policy applies to

This policy applies to every patient of DVA by Leaf Doctors, whether you attend our Strathpine (QLD) or Newtown (NSW) clinic, see us in person or by phone, and wherever you live in Australia. It also covers the information we hold about your carer, next of kin, emergency contact or substitute decision-maker. The same protections apply to all patients; where you are a patient of our Newtown clinic, the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW) also applies to your records.

1. Who can I contact about this policy?

Our Privacy Officer is the Clinical Operations Manager, Sasha Logsdale. Phone 1800 953 363 or email dva@leafdoctors.com.au. You can also write to us at either clinic: Shop 10/328 Gympie Road, Strathpine QLD 4500, or 245 King Street, Newtown NSW 2042.

2. When and why is your consent needed?

When you register as a patient, you consent to our doctors, nurses and staff accessing and using your personal information to provide your healthcare. Access is limited to team members who need it for your care. If we want to use your information for any other purpose, we will ask for your consent first. Our patient consent form explains in more detail how your information is shared for your treatment.

3. Why do we collect, use, store and share your information?

Mainly to manage your health safely and effectively: to assess and treat you, keep accurate medical records, apply for approvals from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) and other government bodies, arrange your prescriptions, and process claims and payments. We may also use it for internal quality and safety activities, such as clinical audits, accreditation and staff training.

4. What information do we collect?

• Your name, date of birth, addresses and contact details
• Next of kin, emergency contact and carer details
• Medicare, DVA (Veteran Card and file number), pension, concession or disability card details
• Your Individual Healthcare Identifier
• Your medical history, medicines, allergies, previous treatments, test results and letters from other health professionals
• Information about your mental health, alcohol and other substance use, and lifestyle, where this is needed to treat you safely
• Your service history, where relevant to your DVA entitlements

5. Can you deal with us anonymously?

You can make a general enquiry without identifying yourself. To provide healthcare, prescribe medicines or claim from DVA or Medicare, we are required to identify you.

6. How do we collect your information?

• From you, when you contact us by phone, email, our website or online booking chat (Calendly), through our listing on the Veteran Pathfinder directory, or complete our forms on paper or online
• During your appointments, in person or by phone
• From other people involved in your care, such as your GP, specialists, previous prescribers, hospitals and pathology services, with your consent
• From your carer, guardian or substitute decision-maker, where relevant
• From DVA, Services Australia and Medicare, and from My Health Record (our clinic is registered, and where you have one)
• From prescription monitoring systems (QScript in Queensland and SafeScript NSW), which our doctors are required to check before prescribing certain medicines

7. Who do we share your information with?

We only share what is needed, and only:

• With other health professionals involved in your care, such as your GP and specialists (for example in referral letters and treatment updates)
• With DVA, Services Australia and Medicare, for approvals and claims; and with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (which receives only de-identified information) and state health departments, for approvals required by law
• With the pharmacy that dispenses your prescription. Our partner pharmacies are True Green Health Dispensary Newtown, True Green Health Dispensary Strathpine and Ford’s Discount Pharmacy Newtown, but you can choose any pharmacy
• With service providers who help us run the clinic, such as our clinical software (MedicalDirector Helix), secure email and document storage, our internal staff messaging (Slack), appointment booking (Calendly), our enquiry management, SMS and phone system (GoHighLevel) and SMS reminders. They must protect your information and use it only for the service they provide
• When the law requires or allows it, for example a court order, mandatory reporting, or to lessen or prevent a serious threat to someone’s life, health or safety
• Through electronic prescribing and My Health Record, when providing your care. Our doctors and nurses only view your My Health Record when it is relevant to your care, and you can ask us not to

We will not share your information with anyone else without your consent.

8. Is your information sent overseas?

Your health records are stored in Australia, and our internal staff messaging (Slack) is set to store its data in Australia.

If you book a free chat with our Veteran Care Coordinator online, we use Calendly, which stores your booking details in the United States. Our enquiry management, SMS and phone system (GoHighLevel) also stores your contact details and messages with us in the United States. We only ask for your full name, email and mobile number, and no health information. Calendly is required to protect this information under its agreement with us. If you would prefer not to use Calendly, you can call us on 1800 953 363 or email dva@leafdoctors.com.au instead.

We will not send your health information overseas without your consent unless the law allows it.

9. Will your information be used for marketing?

No. We will not use your information to market goods or services to you without your consent. After your appointment we may send one SMS inviting you to leave a review; you can ask us not to send these at any time.

10. How do we use AI scribes and document tools?

With your consent, your doctor may use an AI scribe to help write your clinical notes. Our AI scribe is Intellitek Health, which works with our MedicalDirector Helix software. It uses an audio recording of your consultation to prepare a summary note, which your doctor checks before it is saved to your record. The audio recording is deleted once the note is complete, and your information is not sent outside Australia. Your doctor will ask for your consent at each appointment, and you can say no at any time without it affecting your care. If your doctor uses a different AI scribe, they will tell you which one and still ask for your consent, and they are responsible for making sure it protects your information.

Our clinical software also uses templates to prepare documents such as referral letters, which include only the information relevant to the purpose.

11. How is your information stored and protected?

• Your records are kept electronically in MedicalDirector Helix, which is protected by individual passwords and access based on each staff member’s role
• Forms you return on paper are scanned into your record and the paper is securely destroyed
• Staff are trained in privacy and confidentiality, and sign a confidentiality agreement
• We keep the health records of every patient, at both clinics, for at least 7 years after your last visit, and then securely destroy or de-identify them. This meets the legal requirement in NSW (Newtown) and follows RACGP guidance in Queensland (Strathpine), where there is no specific retention law for private practices
• We do not use your Medicare or DVA number as our own patient identifier
• If a data breach is likely to cause you serious harm, we will tell you and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, as the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme requires

12. How can you access and correct your information?

You have the right to ask for access to, and correction of, the information we hold about you. Contact our Privacy Officer by phone or email. We will respond within 30 days. There is no charge to make a request, but we may charge a reasonable fee to cover the cost of copying a large record; we will tell you the cost first. If we cannot give you access, we will explain why in writing. We will take reasonable steps to correct information that is inaccurate, out of date or incomplete, and we may ask you from time to time to confirm your details are current.

13. How can you make a privacy complaint?

Please contact our Privacy Officer first. We take complaints seriously and will respond within 30 days. If you are not satisfied with our response, you can contact:

Organisation	Contact
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (all patients)	1300 363 992 · www.oaic.gov.au
Information and Privacy Commission NSW (Newtown patients)	1800 472 679 · www.ipc.nsw.gov.au
Office of the Health Ombudsman (Queensland)	133 646 · www.oho.qld.gov.au
Health Care Complaints Commission (NSW)	1800 043 159 · www.hccc.nsw.gov.au

14. Our website

Information you send through our website, email or online booking chat is handled securely and confidentially under this policy. Our website may use cookies and analytics to understand how it is used.

15. Changes to this policy

This policy is free and available on our website and at both clinics, and we can provide it in another format on request. We review it regularly. Any changes will be published on our website and available at both clinics, and we will let patients know directly about significant changes. Please contact us if you have any questions.