Privacy Statement
This Midwifery Practice Group is bound by law and
professional ethics to safeguard your privacy and the
confidentiality of your personal information.
This includes:
- Collecting only the information that may be necessary for your
care;
- Keeping accurate and up-to-date records;
- Safeguarding the medical records in our possession;
- Sharing information with other health-care providers and
organizations on a “need-to-know” basis where required for your
health care. Also known as the “Circle of Care”;
- Disclosing information to third parties only with your express
consent, or as permitted or required by law; and
- Retaining/destroying records in accordance with that law.
You will be asked to sign a consent form that gives your consent
for our collection, use, and disclosure of your personal
information for purposes related to your care. You have the
right to see your records. You may also obtain copies of your
records- please see your primary midwife.
Please speak to your midwife if you have any concerns about the
accuracy of your records. If you would like to discuss our
privacy policy in more detail, or have specific questions or
complaints about how your information is handled, please speak
to your midwife. For additional information, you may obtain a
copy of our Privacy Policy from our staff.
LEGAL STATUS, FUNDING AND ACCESSIBILITY
The Midwifery Act is a component of the Regulated Health
Professions Act, which received Royal Assent from the Ontario
Legislature in November 1991 and was proclaimed law on December
31, 1993. Since proclamation of the Act, a person may only
practice as a midwife in Ontario if she/he is registered with
the College of Midwives of Ontario. Midwifery care is publicly
funded through the Ontario Midwifery Program.
Midwifery care is such a popular choice in the Thunder Bay area
that we sometimes cannot accommodate all the requests that we
receive. We encourage woman to call as soon as pregnancy has
been confirmed to secure a booking.
CLIENT CONFIDENTIALITY AND RECORDS
Our practice respects each client’s right to complete
confidentiality. You have access to your file at any time. If
records exist of previous pregnancies, births, or health
concerns that you or the midwife deem to be relevant to this
pregnancy, we will ask you to sign a “release of records” form.
This allows your midwife to access pertinent background
information thus enabling her to provide you with appropriate
care and advice.
Only the midwives, students and staff, have access to your file.
Your records will only be shared with others if you consent to
do so.
At your six-week follow up visit you may request a copy of your
records and we will retain the originals for our files.
