Privacy Policy

About this policy

This Privacy Policy describes how North Eastern Surgical (the practice of Mr Ba Nguyen, specialist colorectal and general surgeon, Heidelberg, Victoria) collects, holds, uses, and discloses personal information, including health information. It applies to information collected through this website, by telephone, by fax, by email, and in the course of providing surgical and clinical services.

This policy was last updated in May 2026. We may update it from time to time; the current version will always be available on this page.

What information we collect

Depending on the nature of your contact with us, we may collect:

• Referral information — patient name, date of birth, address, telephone number, Medicare number, clinical history, diagnosis, and the name and contact details of the referring practitioner.
• General enquiry information — name, email address, telephone number, and the content of your message submitted via the contact form.
• Health information — clinical notes, investigation results, operative records, correspondence with other treating practitioners, and related medical information collected in the course of providing care.
• Website usage data — technical information such as IP address, browser type, pages visited, and time of access, collected automatically via server logs. This data is not linked to an individual's identity and is used only to maintain and improve the website.

We collect information only by lawful and fair means, and only to the extent necessary for the purposes described in this policy.

How we use your information

Personal and health information collected by North Eastern Surgical is used to:

• Arrange and provide surgical consultations and clinical care
• Communicate with referring and treating practitioners regarding patient management
• Prepare clinical correspondence, operation notes, and discharge summaries
• Process accounts and liaise with Medicare, private health insurers, and hospital billing departments
• Meet our legal and professional obligations, including mandatory reporting requirements
• Respond to general enquiries submitted through this website

We will not use your personal information for direct marketing or for any purpose unrelated to your clinical care or the administration of that care without your consent.

Disclosure of your information

Your information may be disclosed to:

• Other treating practitioners involved in your care (for example, your referring GP, anaesthetist, or allied health providers) as clinically necessary
• Hospital staff at Warringal Private Hospital, Heidelberg, or Epworth Eastern, Box Hill, when you are admitted for a procedure
• Pathology and radiology services as required for investigations
• Medicare Australia and private health insurers for the purposes of billing and rebate processing
• Government bodies or regulatory authorities where required or authorised by law

We will not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party. We will not disclose your health information to any person outside your treating team without your consent, except where required by law.

Storage and security

Personal and health information is stored in a secure practice management system accessible only to authorised staff. Physical records are stored securely and destroyed in accordance with applicable legal requirements. We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification, and disclosure.

Information submitted through this website's contact and referral forms is transmitted via encrypted (HTTPS) connections. We do not store payment card details.

Access and correction

Under the Australian Privacy Principles, you have the right to request access to personal information we hold about you, and to request correction of information that is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, or misleading. To make such a request, please contact us in writing using the details below. We will respond within a reasonable time, generally within 30 days.

In some circumstances we may be unable to provide access — for example, where doing so would unreasonably affect the privacy of another individual, or where access is otherwise restricted by law. If we decline a request, we will explain the reasons in writing.

Complaints

If you believe we have not handled your personal information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles, you are welcome to contact us directly so that we can address your concern. Please put your complaint in writing and direct it to Mr Ba Nguyen at the contact details below. We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint and aim to resolve it within 30 days.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):

Contact us

For any privacy-related queries, requests for access or correction, or complaints, please contact North Eastern Surgical: