Not for urgent care: Email, SMS, website messages and social media are not monitored continuously. Do not use them for emergencies or urgent medical concerns. Call 000 in an emergency. For urgent advice, telephone the practice.
This policy explains how Burnside Family Practice communicates electronically with patients while protecting privacy and maintaining safe clinical care.
Your Choice and Consent
We confirm your preferred contact details and obtain consent where required before using email or SMS. Please tell us if your details or preferences change. You may withdraw consent for optional electronic communication at any time, although some service or safety messages may still be sent where permitted.
What Electronic Communication May Be Used For
Appointment confirmations and reminders.
Administrative information and practice notices.
Information or documents that a clinician has approved for electronic release.
Secure communication with other healthcare providers.
Clinical advice, diagnosis and treatment decisions usually require an appropriate consultation. Prescriptions, referrals, certificates and results are managed under the practice’s usual clinical and fee arrangements and may require an appointment.
Emailing the Practice
Email is suitable for non-urgent administrative matters only. The practice does not guarantee an immediate response. Please allow 2-3 business days for a response. If you have not received a response within that period, telephone reception.
Do not send urgent clinical information or rely on email to confirm that a message has been received or acted on. The practice may ask you to book an appointment, confirm your identity, use a safer communication method or collect documents in person.
Privacy and Security
Ordinary email and SMS can be misdirected, forwarded, intercepted or accessed by another person. We check contact details and use approved secure systems where practicable, but cannot guarantee that electronic communication is completely secure.
Relevant electronic communications may be added to your clinical record. Messages sent to the wrong recipient should be reported to the practice immediately and deleted without copying or sharing.