The Skin Doctor (Melbourne) collects personal and health information only to provide your care, stores it securely on Australian-based clinical systems, complies with the Australian Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles, and gives every patient the right to access or correct their record.
- We collect personal and health information only to provide your medical and aesthetic care.
- Records are stored securely on Australian-based clinical systems with role-based access.
- We never sell patient data and never use it for advertising or third-party marketing.
- You can request access to, correction of, or a copy of your record at any time.
- Privacy concerns go first to our Practice Manager; unresolved matters can be escalated to the OAIC.
Privacy Policy
Last reviewed 2026-06-06 · Reviewed annually
The Skin Doctor (a trading name of The Local Doctor, with clinics in Ivanhoe and Diamond Creek) is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains how we collect, use, store and disclose your personal and health information, in line with the Australian Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).
Who this policy covers
This policy applies to all patients of:
- The Skin Doctor — Ivanhoe, Unit 1/1065 Heidelberg Road, Ivanhoe VIC 3079.
- The Skin Doctor — Diamond Creek, Shop 12/67 Main Hurstbridge Road, Diamond Creek VIC 3089.
Both clinics can be reached on (03) 8373 4646.
What information we collect
We collect only the information necessary to deliver safe, high-quality care:
- Contact details — name, address, phone and email.
- Date of birth and Medicare, DVA or private health fund identifiers.
- Medical history, current medications, allergies and family history.
- Photographs of skin lesions and total-body mapping images for skin cancer patients, stored against your medical record.
- Communications you send us by phone, email or our online forms.
How we use your information
- Delivering your medical and aesthetic care.
- Communicating with you about appointments, results and follow-up.
- Communicating with other treating practitioners — referrals and results — with your consent.
- Billing through Medicare, DVA, private health funds and direct patient billing.
- Quality assurance and continuous improvement of our service.
We do not use your information for advertising, we do not sell your data, and we do not share it with third parties for marketing.
How we store and protect your information
Your records are kept on AutoMed Systems, an Australian-based clinical practice-management platform, with role-based access limited to staff involved in your care. Imaging data — Canfield VECTRA® WB360 3D, IntelliStudio 2D and digital dermoscopy captures — is stored on the corresponding vendor-supplied system, accessible only to authorised clinic staff. We retain health records for the period required by Victorian law and dispose of them securely thereafter.
Your rights
At any time you may:
- Request access to your record, in line with the Australian Privacy Principles.
- Request correction of any inaccurate or out-of-date information.
- Request a copy of your record to share with another practitioner.
To make a request, contact our Practice Manager in writing at either clinic address above, or call (03) 8373 4646. We may need to verify your identity before releasing information.
Complaints
If you believe your privacy has been breached, please contact our Practice Manager first so we can put it right. If your complaint is not resolved to your satisfaction, you can escalate it to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).
Changes to this policy
We review this policy at least annually, and immediately after any material change to our information-handling practices. The current review date is shown at the top of this page.