Patient conduct and behaviour

Green Square Dermatology is committed to providing a safe, respectful and professional environment for patients, staff and visiting practitioners.

Patients and other persons interacting with Green Square Dermatology are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with this environment.

Green Square Dermatology has obligations under New South Wales work health and safety laws to protect the health and safety of workers and other persons, so far as is reasonably practicable.

Work-related violence and aggression may include verbal abuse, threats, intimidation, harassment, physical aggression and other behaviour that creates a risk to physical or psychological health and safety.

Patients are expected to:

• communicate respectfully with staff and practitioners;

• follow reasonable administrative and clinical processes;

• comply with appointment, payment and facility requirements; and

• engage reasonably and cooperatively when questions, concerns or complaints are being addressed.

Patients are entitled to raise concerns, question decisions and make complaints. Disagreement or a complaint will not, by itself, be regarded as unacceptable behaviour.

Green Square Dermatology does not accept behaviour including:

• verbal abuse, yelling, insults or derogatory remarks;

• threats, intimidation, harassment or coercive behaviour;

• physical aggression, unwanted physical contact or damage to property;

• abusive, threatening or harassing communication by telephone, email, electronic message or in person;

• repeated or unreasonable refusal to follow legitimate facility processes;

• attempts to intimidate or pressure staff into bypassing established requirements;

• repeated communication that is excessive, abusive or substantially disproportionate to the matter being addressed; or

• other conduct that creates, or may reasonably create, a risk to the health or safety of staff, practitioners, patients or visitors.

Unacceptable behaviour may arise from a single serious incident or from a pattern of conduct over time.

Where unacceptable behaviour occurs, Green Square Dermatology may take action it considers reasonably necessary having regard to the nature, seriousness and circumstances of the conduct.

Depending on the circumstances, action may include:

• ending a telephone call, conversation or other interaction;

• directing communication through a nominated staff member;

• requiring communication to occur in writing;

• limiting the frequency or method of contact;

• restricting or ceasing administrative services, including appointment and payment services;

• cancelling or declining appointments facilitated by Green Square Dermatology;

• restricting or preventing attendance at the premises; or

• contacting security, police or emergency services where appropriate.

Where the circumstances warrant immediate action, restrictions may be imposed without prior warning.

Dermatologists consulting at Green Square Dermatology may be independent medical practitioners who maintain responsibility for their own clinical relationships with their patients.

A decision by Green Square Dermatology to restrict access to its premises, staff or administrative services is separate from any decision by an independent dermatologist concerning their ongoing clinical relationship with a patient.

Where Green Square Dermatology has restricted access to its services or premises, it will not facilitate appointments, payments or attendance at the facility for that patient. Any continuing care offered independently by a dermatologist must be arranged separately from Green Square Dermatology.

Where access to Green Square Dermatology services or premises has been restricted, further contact with the facility must be directed to the Business Manager at: manager@gsdermatology.com.au

Patients may continue to request access to their medical record in accordance with Green Square Dermatology’s medical record access requirements.

Staff may end an interaction or take other immediate action where they reasonably consider that continuing the interaction may create a risk to health or safety.

Where necessary, Green Square Dermatology may contact police, security or emergency services.

For an emergency, call Triple Zero (000). Non-urgent police assistance is available through the Police Assistance Line on 131 444.